Hidden Behind Silence
by norealanswer
Summary: i dont like what if summaries AT ALL. A new girl comes to Konoha a couple of months after Hinata and never says a word. Why's she so quiet? Parings: Naruhina, SasuSaku, NejiTen, ShikaTema, SaIno, KibaXOC
1. Reliving History

Hinata POV

"Ew, look it's that Riuzi girl," I overheard Karin say. I looked over at the loner girl, Harima Riuzi, and she was reading a manga called Peach Girl. I guess she could relate to that story. Karin was whispering among her groupies, Kin and Tayuya. They glanced over at Harima and laughed as if they were so much more desirable.

"They're so mean to that girl," my best friend Sakura commented. She was observing the whole thing too. "I mean do they even know anything about her?"

"Do we?" added another one of my best friends, Temari. She had a point. No one really knew anything about the new girl. She came as quietly as she stayed. She spoke less than me and kept to herself. In fact, I doubt anyone had ever heard her speak. "I mean while we're reprimanding Karin and her clones about talking about her behind her back, we're just as bad."

"I mean, we don't talk talk to her,"added TenTen. She looked back at her just as she turned a page in her manga. Other than that, she didn't move a muscle. That was what Harima did all day so it was kind of strange that she was the second in class.

"M-maybe we s-should start," I piped up. Temari, Sakura, Ino, and TenTen looked up at me. I hated when they did that at the same time like that, but these were my best friends so I kept talking. "W-we're b-b-better than K-karin, right?"

It was Ino's turn to look at Harima, who was still lost in her book. I noticed how she was on that page for quite a while. It made me wonder if she was listening to our conversation. I highly thought she was. "Hinata…" she started. "You are absolutely right. We are gonna welcome her into our group. You know take her under our wing like we did with Hinata."

Thank you, Ino for your subtlty.

"I agree with you. She's very pretty," agreed Sakura. Harima finally turned a page. She was done listening to us. Good thing to because her fate at Konoha High school was sealed.

We all got up and occupied the desks surrounding Harima's desk. The desks used to be occupied by Karin, Kin, Tayuya, and another girl named Renge but they all moved when she first sat there. Those superficial bimbos.

"Hey, Harima," started Sakura. Harima looked up suddenly. Eyes wide and scared, hair a wild long messy mane and nose ring glinting in the flourescent light.

"W-what did I do? You aren't going to swear red lipstick on my face are you?" she said, sounding ten times more scared than she looked. Temari glared ferociously at Karin, Kin, and Tayuya, looking ready to kill them. Feeling her pain, I put a comforting her hand on her shoulder. She flinched when I did just like I did when Sakura put her hand on my shoulder.

I swear this was like a repeat of history. I totally understood wear she was coming from.

In that instant, the guys pass us. The hottest guys in class, Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Kiba, Neji and Shikamaru jumped over desks and made noise as boys do. I caught Naruto's gaze and I had to turn away quickly. Naruto-kun was the ringleader of the whole popular guy scene. Sakura, TenTen, Temari, (and now) Harima and I were just a small time group of friends.

"Hinata," Ino mused. She gestured to Naruto who was giving an annoyed looking Neji a noogie. "I do believe Naruto just gave you that special look." I felt my face radiate in 3 different heats. It seemed everybody knew about my crush on Naruto except Naruto. Actually, to avoid getting my heart broken, I prefer it if he didn't know that I was in love with him.

"Ino," I whispered, hoping she would catch the hint to whisper as well. "They'll hear you!"

"Let 'im here!" Ino said confidently. She turned around to face the guys and inhaled. I thought for sure she was going to tell Naruto my secret.

"Sai, baby!" she yelled out confidently. "I love ya!" Harima and I sweated. Sai smiled warmly and half-waved at Ino.

Ino was the only one who was brave enough to ask Sai out. That's why she is the only one with a boyfriend. A sad thought.

"So Harima," started Temari with her wide smile. "We aren't trying to scare you ar make it seem like we're like the Plastics, but we really want you to hang out with us." Thaat was the way Temari worked. It was like ripping off a band-aid as she so decribed it. Unorthodox, but it was better than stuttering over every word or in Harima's case, saying nothing at all.

"Completely red lipstick free," added TenTen, hoping to keep her from thinking we were like another Karin crew,

Harima paused for a minute. She looked puzzled. I could understand why. I said no at first too.

Then she nodded. She said nothing, but nodded.

"Is that a yes?" Sakura urged, poking her shoulder. She smiled broadly, adding to her friendly misdemeanor. Sakura raised Harima's gaze to hers and nodded. Harima followed her nod, eyes still wide and scared, but somehow, more relieved.

"So you'll come with us to the mall after school?" Ino suggested, starting to gather her hair up and play in it. "We can introduce you to Reno's."

"Reno's is this punk warehouse in the back of the mall. You'd like it," TenTen explained. Sakura flicked the silver hoop from on her nose playfully and the side of Harima's mouth twitched upward. We'd hooked her. I couldn't believe it but we actually hooked her faster than they hooked me.

I know she thought I hadn't noticed, but I noticed how ever so slightly she sneaked a couple of glances at Kiba Inuzuka. And suddenly, I had my contribution to Harima's shell-breaking.

Harima POV

I didn't understand it. Why were they just now talking to me? I mean they were the only ones who smiled and said hi to me in the halls, but they've never actually spoken to me. Now here I am with plans to go to the mall after school. It's not like it was conflicting with anything and I'd give anything to be as far away from Rayito as possible.

One of them truly seemed to know where I was coming from, despite the fact that she never said a word to me. I came to the conclusion that she was the new girl before me. Not that there was a problem with that. I was just lucky to have people to hang out with.

"Harima," Ino said. She was playing in my hair and a suddenly felt self-conscious about it. It was always a mess and never seemed to want tobey me. "You don't have to worry about Karin or her cronies."

"Yeah," added Temari, grinning wide again. "Because if they even look at you wrong, I will personally make their lives a living hell, okay?" Temari was so confident with her self. Ino was too. I mean Ino could do something as daring as yell out "Sai baby, I love ya!" across a room full of students. Ino probably had the guts to ask Sai out himself....whoever Sai was.

"And your hair is so pretty!" exclaimed Ino changing the subject. "I wish mine was as naturally wavy and shaggy as yours."

Believe me, I thought dryly, you don't.

After school, I was the first one out in the courtyard where we were to meet after we got changed out of our school uniforms. I wore my regular style of clothes...a red and black striped skully with an ironed-on skull on it, my Yui band shirt, black skinnies and red hightops. And for all you guys reading this, I AM NOT EMO!!!

"Harima!" yelled a voice. "Harima-chan!" It was Hinata. She looked really out of breath. She wore ripped jeans, black slip-ons and the same Yui band shirt I had on. I smiled within myself at the choice of clothes we had. She noticed my shirt and giggled.

"G-great minds think a-alike I suppose," she said with a genuine smile. Huh, I thought, I dont get a lot of those nowadays.

"Have you been here long?" she asked, taking a seat beside me on the wooden bench. I scooted over to make room and shook my head furiously. In honesty is twenty minutes considered long?

"Oh good!" she said smiling again. "So what town did you come from, Harima-chan?" She was striking up conversation with me, I registered. Meaning I had to talk.

"Nara," I said briefly.."

"Oh, that's good. Are you excited about today?" she asked. She was awfully chatty at the moment. Not that it was bad, but did she feel more comfortable around me than she did with her other friends? Not likely, but a possiblity, still.

I nodded. "Then I should tell you that Ino invited Sai and Sai invited his friends."

It's official...my life is so totally over.

Kiba was one of Sai's friends and someone like Kiba wouldn't give a girl like me the time of day. He's popular, energetic, and loud. Me? I'm Harima Riuzi, unpopular, quiet and I get tired just watching Kiba be a goofy boy, but I liked that he was never tired not even in the least bit. It was cute to me.

"Uh Harima-chan? Can I ask you something before the others get here? I don't want to embarrass you." Well if it was going to embarrass me, I'd rather it be Hinata and not Karin. I shuddered when I remember the red lipstick incident.

"Mmhmm," I hummed.

"Do you like Kiba?"she blurted out. I paused. I paused just long enough for my coloring to go from pale tan to cherry red. She knew! Oh but what could she do about it? Kiba probably liked popular girls like himself and I did overhear Kin bragging about a picture with her and Kiba on her cell phone. My eyes widened and I covered my face with my cold hands, embarrassed. I mentally slapped my head when I realized my reaction just confirmed any doubt she had about my liking Kiba.

She giggled at my reaction and rubbed my back, reassurringly. "That's fitting, Harima-chan. I love Naruto." She didn't have to tell me that. I knew that on my first day when she kept blushing when he looked in her direction. That is what love looks like I guess. Not like I've ever experienced love.

With that, Temari, Ino, Tenten, and Sakura showed up and announced that they were meeting the guys at the mall.

"Oh, you'll just love 'em, Harima," TenTen said linking her arm with mine. "They are a laugh riot."

"More like lazy overgrown kids if you like that sort of thing," Temari complained. She rolled her eyes at the thought. We began to walk.

"And you do, Mrs. NARA," Sakura teased as she pulled one of Temari's four ponytails. I chuckled to myself at that. Temari and the lazy one with the ponytail....I could see that.

I began to feel the brick in my stomach. Suddenly I cared how I looked and if I had something in my teeth. I mean I couldn't let Kiba think any less of me than he does. Not that I know what he thinks of me.

I guess I'll get a glimpse today.


	2. Mall Karaoke

Kiba POV

I like making a scene. It keeps things fun. That's why I was going to skateboard down the aisles screaming my dog's name.

"Don't be stupid, Kiba," Shikamaru said to me. We were all over his house. I'd just told him my plan. "The girls will be there."

"So what? They know me. I can't sit still to save my life," I said in my defense. I hopped over the couch and joined him on the couch.

Mrs. Nara sure was tolerant. There were six boys in her house making as much noise as possible. Sasuke, Naruto, and Neji were playing a video game with volume all the way up. Sai was in a corner drawing whatever he saw or Ino.

When Ino asked Sai out, he was with us. It shocked us all. She was all, "Look, Sai! I know you like me and I sure as hell like you so do you want to go out?" She'd looked him dead in his face with the determination of a lioness. That was how Ino was. She didn't care what you thought. She'd always been like that. Anyway, Sai said yes and now here they are like a husband and wife (although I'm not sure who's who in that relationship).

"Harima doesn't know you," Sai added from his corner. He looked from his sketch.

"Harima?" I asked, confused. Well, trying to sound confused. I knew who Harima Riuzi was exactly. She was the new girl that everyone made fun of.

"Yeah, she's the girls' new friend. I heard she's really sweet." Sai closed his sketchpad and glanced at his cell phone. "And fortunately, she doesn't need to be de-prepped like Hinata."

Well that had to count for something. She was no pansy.

"Let's go," Sai said, slipping on a black skully with blue flames on it. "The girls are already there."

"Who died and made you leader?" Neji asked. He slipped on his heavy coat with his family crest ironed on the side of the sleeve. Hinata had a similar one.

"Well you aren't the leader either," Naruto added. Sasuke rolled his eyes at everyone like we were beneath him. It made me mad, but I shrugged it off. As for Naruto's comeback, what a yahoo.

At the mall, I was ready to execute my plan. I even got Naruto to do it with me. It was barely open because it was a Thursday and not a Friday. The girls were easy to spot in a see full of girls wearing pink.

There was Ino, who was wearing a short black dress with pink and black stripped leggings and flats. There was Tenten, who wore a Twilight hoodie and a plain black shirt under it. Sakura had on a dark blue button-down with a black bowtie. Hinata wore a Yui band shirt and ripped on jeans. Then there was one girl that I didn't recognize. She kept her head bowed to the floor out of shyness.

"Hey you guys! Come meet Harima! Meet Harima!" Ino called out to us. She waved us over. There was that confidence again.

I hopped on my skateboard and started to shred down the ailse. "AKAMARU!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I looked to the girls, who were coming closer and closer to my board. Something distracted me. A flash of something sharp and bright white made me feel funny inside.

CRASH!!!!!!

I got a face full of wall.

"Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked. "Kiba, are you okay?"

My head was swimming. "Hey, did you see me?"

The strange girl slowly got down on her knees over my head. Her skull cap barely covered her eyes so I saw that they were sapphire blue.

"Hey, Harima," I managed to say. My head was clearing up then. "Welcome to Konoha." Looking up at her was weird for me. I mean she was beautiful. Not supermodel beautiful like the other five girls. Somehow she was her own kind of beauty.

She touched her pointer finger to my forehead and the pain rushed into my head.

"Ow!" I yelped. She quickly snatched her finger away. She looked up to Hinata who leaned down. Harima whispered in her ear.

"Get up, dude. Don't let the new girl fawn over you," Sasuke teased. Harima gasped so fast I thought she would choke. She bolted up and faded to the back. I was sure the embarrassment was intended for me.

"Sasuke, have a heart. She was just trying to help," Sakura scolded. Sasuke shrugged and Sakura rolled her eyes, but smiled at him. I wish she would go ahead and ask Sasuke out like Ino asked out Sai.

"Hey, kids!" some kind of vendor called out. "Come be the next singing sensation. It's Karaoke! Top prize is this lovely karaoke machine and 20 passes to Ko Land"

"Ugh, Karaoke," groaned Neji. "That's a girl thing."

"No way," Temari said. "Boys can do it too." Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"I'll do it!" Naruto volunteered.

"Me too," I agreed. I refused to be upstaged by Uzimaki.

"We pick Sakura and….,"said Tenten. "Harima."

Harima lifted her skully from her eyes to widen them in protest. She shook her head, refusing it.

To boost her confidence, I went up to her and swung one arm around her neck. "Don't worry about it, Harima. You'll do great!"

She froze. Then she muttered something intelligible. "Great!"

Naruto POV

I had to admit, I thought Harima was another model of Hinata and that she was gonna pass out when TenTen volunteered her for the karaoke thing.

"Are we gonna sing together?" Sakura asked her excitedly, taking her hand. "What's your favorite song?"

"Hey Kiba! What are we gonna sing?" I asked catching up with my wild eyed friend. I hope he didn't think I didn't notice that he didn't take his arm away from Harima's neck until I pulled him aside.

"We should do a theme." He sounded so pumped. "Like Alones"

"Excuse me, kids," the dude running the Karaoke contest interjected. The twelve of us looked to him. Honestly, I think we all forgot he was there. "No teams. This is strictly a solo thing."

Sakura and Harima went to sign up. I swear I heard Harima's heart beat when she passed me and Kiba. Was she nervous or completely in love with one of us? Kiba and I went to do the same.

"Good l-luck, Naruto-kun," I heard Hinata say. I turned around and looked down at her. Kun? She calls me kun! Alright!!!

"Thanks Hinata! Now make sure you cheer for me and not that baka Kiba," I said smiling wide. She got really red looking for some reason, but I guess she was nervous for me. She was such a sweetheart.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kiba yelled from behind me. A vein popped on my temple. He was cramping my style when I was trying to talk to Hinata-chan.

"First, contestant is Sakura Haruno," Karaoke Man announced. There were scattered applauses from passersby. "Singing Rolling Star by Yui."

Sakura was talented in a lot of ways, but singing was not one of them. She hustled up there with energy and feminity and started singing the theme from Bleach.

It was Karaoke so it was okay if she messed up. She was way off key and laughing at her own mistakes. She was having fun though dancing around, but my ears were glad when the song was finished.

_Mou gaman bakka shiterannai yo _

_Iitai koto wa iwanakucha _

_Kaerimichi yuugure no basutei _

_Ochikonda senaka ni Bye Bye Bye _

_Kimi no Fighting Pose misenakya oh oh_

_Yume ni made mita you na sekai wa _

_Arasoi mo naku heiwa na nichijou _

_Demo genjitsu wa hibi to rabu de _

_Tama ni kuyandari shiteru _

_Sonna Rolling Days _

_Koronjattatte iin ja nai no _

_Son toki wa waratte ageru _

_Norikonda basu no oku kara _

_Chiisaku hohoemi ga mieta _

_Kimi wo tayori ni shiteru yo _

_Yume ni made mita you na Sweet Love _

_Koibitotachi wa kakure ga wo sagasu no _

_Demo genjitsu wa aenai hi ga _

_Tsuzukinagara mo shinjiteru no Lonely Days _

_Oh yeah, yeah..._

_Tsumazuitatte Way to go _

_Yeah, yeah, yeah! _

_Dorodoroke Rolling Star _

_Naru beku egao de itai keredo _

_Mamori nuku tame ni wa shikata nai deshou _

_Kitto uso nante sou _

_Imi wo motanai no _

_All my loving..._

_Sou ja nakya yatterannai _

_Yume ni made mita you na sekai wa _

_Arasoi mo naku heiwa na nichijou _

_Demo genjitsu wa hibi to rabu de _

_Tama ni kuyandari shiteru _

_Sonna Rolling Days _

_Oh yeah, yeah... _

_Sou wakatterutte _

_Oh yeah, yeah... _

_Tsumazuitatte Way to go _

_Yeah, yeah, yeah! _

_Doro doro ke Rolling Star_

She jumped off the stage laughing and giggling like girls do.

"Give Haruno-san a big hand," Karaoke Man said. "You did well." Was it his job to lie?

"Next up is Kiba Inuzuka, singing Alones by Aqua Timez."

He was just obsessed with that song.

"Are you ready to rock out?!" I screamed into the microphone before he started singing.

_Oreta awai tsubasa_

_Kimi wa sukoshi_

_Aosugiru sora ni tsukareta dake sa_

_Mou dareka no tame ja nakute_

_Jibun no tame ni waratte ii yo_

_Izen to shite shinobiyoru kodoku_

_Uchigawa ni tomoru rousoku_

_Nigiwau ba ni gouka na shanderia to wa urahara ni_

_Tarinai kotoba no_

_Kubomi o nani de umetara ii n' darou_

_Mou wakaranai yo_

_Semete yume no naka de_

_Jiyuu ni oyogetara anna sora mo iranai no ni_

_Kinou made no koto o_

_Nuritsubusa nakute mo asu ni mukaeru no ni_

_Oreta awai tsubasa_

_Kimi wa sukoshi_

_Aosugiru sora ni tsukareta dake sa_

_Mou dareka no tame ja nakute_

_Jibun no tame ni waratte ii yo_

_Rettoukan to no wakai wa_

_Kantan ni wa kanawanaisa_

_Jiishiki no teppen ni suwaru_

_Kagami ga utsusu hanabira_

_Furishiboru you ni_

_Kogoreta ai wo sakende miru keredo_

_Modokashikute_

_Meguru toki no naka de_

_Kizuguchi wa yagate_

_Kasabuta ni kawatte iku_

_Kimi wa sore o matazu_

_Totemo utsukushiku_

_Totemo hakanage de_

_Hagare ochita ato no_

_Ubuge no you ni_

_Hi damari no naka de furueru inori_

_Ima wa muri ni dareka no koto wo_

_Ai sou to omowanakute ii no ni_

_[instrumental]_

_Toki ni kono sekai wa_

_Ue wo muite_

_Aruku ni wa sukoshi mabushii sugiru ne_

_Shizumu you ni_

_Me wo fuseru to_

_Kawaita chimen ga namida wo susuru_

_Why do we feel so alone anytime?_

_Subete wo uketomenakute ii yo_

_Why do we feel so alone anytime?_

_Koraeru koto dakedo yuuki ja nai_

I noticed Harima smiling brilliantly as Kiba performed. I couldn't see her eyes but I'm sure those were sparking too.

"Hey, Harima," I started. She looked up at me, parting her hair so she could see me. "Do you have a thing for Kiba that I should know about?"

He snapped her gaze downward again. My question was answered.


	3. Falling In Love

Hinata POV

I don't believe it. Naruto actually acknowledged me. I'm so happy. I was dazed throughout Sakura's Karaoke performance.

"Hey, Hinata!" Temari said shaking me out of my daze. "Get back to your normal pale color and pay attention. Kiba's about to go on."

Sakura pouted. "Aw shit, I left my ear plugs at home," she joked. Everyone snickered.

"Are you ready to ROCK?!" Kiba said when they announced his name and the song he was going to mangle. Neji and Tenten groaned. They exchanged looked at one another for a split second before they looked away and blushed. I would be sure to get in his case when we got home.

_Oreta awai tsubasa_

_Kimi wa sukoshi_

_Aosugiru sora ni tsukareta dake sa_

_Mou dareka no tame ja nakute_

_Jibun no tame ni waratte ii yo_

_Izen to shite shinobiyoru kodoku_

_Uchigawa ni tomoru rousoku_

_Nigiwau ba ni gouka na shanderia to wa urahara ni_

_Tarinai kotoba no_

_Kubomi o nani de umetara ii n' darou_

_Mou wakaranai yo_

_Semete yume no naka de_

_Jiyuu ni oyogetara anna sora mo iranai no ni_

_Kinou made no koto o_

_Nuritsubusa nakute mo asu ni mukaeru no ni_

_Oreta awai tsubasa_

_Kimi wa sukoshi_

_Aosugiru sora ni tsukareta dake sa_

_Mou dareka no tame ja nakute_

_Jibun no tame ni waratte ii yo_

_Rettoukan to no wakai wa_

_Kantan ni wa kanawanaisa_

_Jiishiki no teppen ni suwaru_

_Kagami ga utsusu hanabira_

_Furishiboru you ni_

_Kogoreta ai wo sakende miru keredo_

_Modokashikute_

_Meguru toki no naka de_

_Kizuguchi wa yagate_

_Kasabuta ni kawatte iku_

_Kimi wa sore o matazu_

_Totemo utsukushiku_

_Totemo hakanage de_

_Hagare ochita ato no_

_Ubuge no you ni_

_Hi damari no naka de furueru inori_

_Ima wa muri ni dareka no koto wo_

_Ai sou to omowanakute ii no ni_

_[instrumental]_

_Toki ni kono sekai wa_

_Ue wo muite_

_Aruku ni wa sukoshi mabushii sugiru ne_

_Shizumu you ni_

_Me wo fuseru to_

_Kawaita chimen ga namida wo susuru_

_Why do we feel so alone anytime?_

_Subete wo uketomenakute ii yo_

_Why do we feel so alone anytime?_

_Koraeru koto dakedo yuuki ja nai_

Somehow, I thought he was attached with that song. We all clapped because if we didn't then he would give us an unwanted encore

Naruto was next up.

"Thank you, Inuzuka-san", Karaoke Man announced. "You did a wonderful job. Naruto Uzumaki, come on out with your performance of Hero's Come Back by Nobody Knows!"

Naruto was so cool, he needed no intro. He just grabbed the mike and got into the whole thing. Kiba jumped off the stage and took a position next to Harima. I could feel her heart trying to pump it's way out of her ribcage, because mine was doing the same thing for her.

"Harima-san! Did you see me? Was I good? I was awesome wasn't I?" he said to her. He was talking a mile a minute. The side of her mouth twitched into a shy smile and I was proud of her. I heard Naruto's voice ring out and it drew me to his whiskered face. He winked at me before he started, making me swoon.

_Tooku de kikoeru koe wo hinto ni_

_Hitori mata hitori tachiagaru doushi_

_Kurikaesu dake no fudan doori kutsugaesu_

_Junbi iize are you ready?_

_Karadajuu furuwasu shindou ni hageshiku uchinarase yo stomping_

_Taezu tsuki ugokasu call me kawarazu yuru ga nutsukamu story _

_Come on!!_

_Everybody stand up! Agero kyou ichiban no jikan da_

_Me ni mo tomaranu supiido hantaa_

_Daremo ga mina toriko kanban yeah! (Come on!)_

_Everybody hands up! Matashita na hero's come back!!_

_Zujou kazoe yubi oru count down_

_Ikuze 3-2-1 make some noise!_

_What you gonna do? What you gonna do?_

_Taemanaku nari hibiki kizamu_

_Deja vu yori mo gotsui shougeki ga_

_Zenshin wo hashiri hanasan break it down_

_Turn it up (Turn it up) hey kikoekka?_

_Sakenda kinou made no koto ga_

_Kawaru darou madaminu asu e_

_Koborete afureta omoi no bun made_

_Machinimatta show time saitechiru shukumei_

_Dochira ni katamuku shouhai no yukue_

_Agura kaiterya kyou nimo tsubureru_

_Nagashita chi to ase onore de nugue_

_Negai mo puraido mo fukume subete wo seotta tagai no haigo_

_Nasake wo kaketerya dame ninaru ze_

_Tamote potensharu mentaru men_

_Neko mo shakushi mo matta you na hiiroo_

_Hitoban dake no goran, roman hikou_

_Oo ii nee sonnan ja nee sa_

_Kick on the corner mada tari nee ka?_

_Itsumo to chigau hijou na jinkaku mamoru no sa subete_

_Like a taamineetaa_

_Yon kai, go kai de tatsu hairaito (fly high, yeah!)_

_Isso kono ba de tsutaetaru zo_

_Everybody stand up! Agero kyou ichiban no jikan da_

_Me ni mo tomaranu supiido hantaa_

_Daremo ga mina toriko kanban yeah! (Come on!)_

_Everybody hands up! Matashita na hero's come back!!_

_Zujou kazoe yubi oru count down_

_Ikuze 3-2-1 make some noise!_

_Mou tashou no risuku wa kakugo desho_

_Nanka korunda tte tatsu (get it on)_

_Nare ai ja nai ze kami hitoe no sesshon_

_Irikunda kanjou kidzukiageta kesshou_

_Made in hyuuman no dorama no enchou_

_Marude moesakaru yoshihara no enjou_

_Endoresu saki mo korogaru nichijou_

_Warau hodo baka ni narerutte koto_

_Resseifuku mukaikaze nimo maken_

_Makikomu nandomo dekuwashite kita ze_

_Ikudotonaku tatsu kono ba no batoru_

_Tatakai kata nara kono mi ga satoru_

_Ichiya niya no tukedakiba ja_

_Mamoru mon ga chigau na shirohata wo furi na_

_Hi no moe akogareru hikage wo shiru_

_Iiwake wa kikan sorekoso ga real_

_Faito maido i'm proud_

_Nanikarananima de mada ucchi yanai zo_

_Yes ka no ja nai itsuka kou warau_

_Nana kara patto kimeru iku ze aibou_

_Wakiagaru kansei ga yuuki tonaru_

_Tachiagareba ima ijou kurushimi tomonau_

_Soredemo saigo wa kitto warau_

_Subete sarau shouri to kansei_

_Everybody stand up! Agero kyou ichiban no jikan da_

_Me ni mo tomaranu supiido hantaa_

_Daremo ga mina toriko kanban yeah! (Come on!)_

_Everybody hands up! Matashita na hero's come back!!_

_Zujou kazoe yubi oru count down_

_Ikuze 3-2-1 make some noise!_

_Everybody stand up! Agero kyou ichiban no jikan da_

_Me ni mo tomaranu supiido hantaa_

_Daremo ga mina toriko kanban yeah! (Come on!)_

_Everybody hands up! Matashita na hero's come back!!_

_Zujou kazoe yubi oru count down_

_Ikuze 3-2-1 make some noise!_

He was amazing. Without thinking about it, I flung my arms around his abdomen when he hopped off the stage. When I came back to myself, I quickly backed away. Oh he must think I'm a total weirdo now.

"Thanks Hinata-chan!" he said brightly.

Temari, Tenten, and Sakura snickered behind my back. I radiated more that usual.

Now all that was left was for Harima not to fall under pressure.

"Last but not least we have the lovely, Harima Riuzi!" Karaoke Man announced. "Rocking out with Suna No Oshiro by Kanon Wakeshima."

We all clapped for Harima. Knowing her, she's probably whither away faster than I would. She took the stage with the grace I wouldn't have expected from her. Her eyes were glued to the floor as she took the mike. By now a whole crowd had gathered and fell silent. She looked up at the crowd without moving her hair or her skully.

She raised the mike to her chin and…

_Sotto nagareru_

_Shiroi_

_Kawaita kumo ga tooru_

_Haiiro no watashi wa_

_Tada jitto kiete iku no o_

_Miteta_

_Hoshi o atsumete_

_Tsukuru suno no o-shiro ni_

_Watashi no sasayaka na inori_

_Koborete ochiru_

_Sono ashimoto o_

_Machibuseta nami ga sarau_

_a world of darkness._

_a world of silence._

_Kiekakaru inori_

_Kaze ni aorarenagara_

_Sore de mo tomoritsuzukete_

_Watashi ga ikudo mo motsurenagara_

_Hie yuku te de_

_Tsukuru suno no o-shiro o_

_Machibuseta nami ga sarau_

_Anata e_

Everyone was stone quiet for a while. She was that quiet and she sounds like that when she sings. The first one to respond was Kiba. He jumped up and down screaming "Yeah! Yeah, you did great!"

Then everybody joined in! She was great. She smiled that smile she gave that caused Kiba to crash into the wall. I hadn't noticed until then that she had fang-like teeth like Kiba. That's when I knew that they were meant for each other. I had to get them together somehow.

Kiba helped Harima jump off the stage and hugged her so tight, her back arched. She was amazing. Where was this girl coming from? I tore away from Naruto's side and hugged her. All the girls were hugging her.

"I had no idea you were a singer," Sakura crooned.

"I love your voice. I would totally steal it," Tenten agreed smashing her cheek against Harima's.

"Karin and her cronies can't begin to compete with your voice. I wish I tape recorded you!" Temari said triumphantly.

Harima had this look of pure joy in her eyes. Sakura had pushed her hair and skully out of her eyes and they were sparkling like sapphires. She looked bashful.

Then when she looked in one direction, her eyes fell and the same fear we'd met her in replaced her face. She quickly turned around and muttered something. It sounded like "How did he find me?"

Temari noticed her distress first. "Harima-chan? What's wrong?" She looked in her general direction. "Hey, that guy's waving at you. Is he your dad?"

Harima whined and pushed her past everyone to join the creepy looking guy. Kiba grabbed her arm before she got too far. That shocked all of us.

"Harima! Give me your number. I'll call you later!" he said through his warm smile. Harima looked from his strong hand on her arm to Kiba's wild eyes. Her cheeks got this rosy color in them, but it made her look more innocent than she probably was.

Harima pulled a permanent marker from underneath her skully and scribbled her cell number on his arm. This was working out better than I expected, I thought. She looked at all of us apologetically. "Arigato."

"HARIMA!" the man yelled. "Get over here let's go home."

Harima jogged over to the man, who took her by the arm and disappeared out the mall entrance with her.

"I don't trust him," Neji said as soon as they were out of sight.

"I think he's Mom's abusive boyfriend," Shikamaru added. "Did you see how scared she looked when she saw him?"

Though I couldn't see her anymore, I looked after her in the direction they left in. Why _was_ she so quiet? Why did she cover her eyes all the time?

Harima POV

Crap.

That's what I kept thinking as Ryu tightened his grip on my arm the farther we got away from the mall. Why did he have to be there? How did he even know that I was there?

"You should really tell me when you're gonna be out, Harima," Ryu said through his teeth. "Your mother and I were really worried. Don't ever do that again."

A lie. I hadn't seen my mother since we moved to Konoha City. She was always out at some party directly after she got off work. She always left me alone with Ryu. Leaving anything female around Ryu was bad parenting.

He squeezed the feeling out of my arm and I choked down a cry of pain. Do not give him the satisfaction. Do not give him the satisfaction. I drifted my mind elsewhere other than my current situation.

"Learn your place, you little demon. You'll live longer," he hissed in my ear. He back away from my ear and resumed his smile. "I think we're gonna do something different tonight."

My eyes widened as I tried to loosen his grip on my arm. By now I could no longer feel my arm. My other arm tingled where Kiba grabbed it before I left. I think he doesn't think I'm a total loser. He asked for my number after all. I smiled within myself.

"Harima how old are you?" Ryu asked me snapping me out of my fantasy. I looked up at his black hair. He was thirty nine but looked twenty two. That's how he hooked my mom who looks eighteen.

"Fifteen," I spat, turning away from. We reached our apartment building and climbed the stairs to our apartment. "What's it to you?" I unlocked the door and turned the living room light on.

Ryu turned it back off. I turned around to ask him what the hell his problem was, but his mouth came down onto mine, shocking me. "Close enough to eighteen right?" He said sneakily when he pulled away. He coiled his arms around my back and pulled my closer to him.

"Get off me!" I demanded. I tried to pull away from him but it seemed to have a reverse effect. "What are you doing?"

Ryu snickered and I got more scared than I was when Karin called herself giving me a makeover by swearing her red lipstick across my face. "Isn't it obvious, Harima?" I got really scared when his cold hand slid up my back and unhooked my bra. "You…"

I shoved my knee into his stomach and he recoiled, yelling. I ran to my room and locked the door behind me. Just in time too because the minute I turned the lock, there were several bangs on my door. I leaned against the door, my breath labored. When did he start the whole pedophile thing?

"He asked me out!" Neji asked me out!" Tenten squealed. It was after school about a week later via the Karaoke mall trip. I had twenty passes to Ko Land that I had yet to use. I laid across the courtyard table on my back looking up. My hair was tucked under my back and my eyes were closed. Gee I was tired.

"I know. N-neji was freaking out when he got home last night," I heard Hinata say. The corner of my mouth twitched in happiness. It's about time Neji got the balls to ask her out.

"Hey Harima, are you up to go to a concert with us on Saturday?" Sakura asked. I opened my eyes to her emerald eyes looking down at me.

"Concert?" I repeated. I sounded like I was whispering. Nothing at all like when I was talking to Ryu. I shuddered at the thought.

"Yeah!" The voice wasn't Sakura's. It was Naruto's. I guess the boys decided to join us. By then I was used to the boys and their noise, so I didn't bother to move. "Hey what's wrong with you?"

I closed my eyes again and resumed sleeping position.

"Wake up, Hariiiiiiimaaaa!" I knew that voice. I reclined on the outdoor table and looked up at Kiba. My face radiated and I lowered my newsboy cap so that the brim covered my eyes. Why was he making me so nervous? I've known him for a week now.

"Hey, don't do that!" he said getting in close to my face. He took my hat off altogether and pushed my hair out of my eyes. Oh no.

His eyes met mine and vice versa. That was the moment I truly fell in love with Kiba.

"What's that?" he asked poking my forehead from last night. I flinched from the sharp pain.

His eyebrows came together. "Does that hurt?"

I covered my head and nodded.

He frowned in concern. To save myself from any questions, I poked his forehead bruise, intending that our foreheads matched. He winced and laughed. "Our foreheads match so please come to the concert!"

I pretended to think about it. Of course I was going. Then he added "I think you're my good luck charm."

My face heated up and I looked away. He called me his good luck charm. Me!


	4. Suspicions

Kiba POV

Why was she so sad all the time? She almost never spoke, but she sings. She was brave enough to get her nose pierced but covered herself everywhere else. Today she wore a lime green hoodie that had "Punk's Not Dead" spray painted on the back in black and purple.

I'd been asking myself about her all week since that creepy guy came to get her from the mall. She seemed to be kind of scared of him. I had no real way of knowing that unless she were to tell someone and I doubt she'd ever tell anyone about her personal life.

At least I got her to come to the concert, I thought. I had to keep my nose from bleeding. She looked way hot she the she was reclining on the stone table.

"So what's the plan for today?" Sai asked. Ino was sitting on his lap like always.

"We can go to my house," Neji volunteered. "We just finished the home theater."

Neji and Hinata came from a rich family and Neji had no problem putting it on display. That was another thing that made me mad about Neji. He was so stuck up.

"Yeah that's cool. It's close so I wont have to walk very far," Shikamaru agreed, stretching. Jeez, he was always half asleep. How he was the first in class was just amazing.

Harima dropped her head. I had noticed she did that when she tried to hide a smile. She was smiling a lot lately. Strange, but her being happy made me happy.

We all got up and started to walk. I thought I should disrupt the peace a little bit. "Ha-ri-ma," I said. I could feel her wanting to disappear. "Get on my back!"

She looked up at me confused. Like she hadn't heard me. If she talked at all, she probably would have said "Are you serious?"

"You heard me," I said smiling reassured. Her look said "pass" and she started to walk ahead but like I would take no for answer. I stepped in front of her.

"Let him carry you!" Sakura yelled to her. "I need you to get him to quit being an ass." I wish she would mind Sasuke. She had such a big mouth.

There was a pause. The best thing in the world happened right there and then. I felt the weight of a small girl jumping on my back. Smiling to myself, I linked my arms under her knees and shifted her upward on my back. She squealed lightly. Somehow having her on my back was the best feeling in the world.

Naruto walked up to me matching my stride. "She took to you kinda fast huh?" he said under his breath. He smiled like he knew something I didn't. I hated it enough when Shikamaru and Neji did it. The brainy know-it-all and the spoiled rotten-know it all, respectively.

"What's that suppose to mean?" I asked annoyed. He walked ahead of me with that idiotic smile of his. Hinata trailed after him like a lost puppy. She was so cute. I used to have a crush on her when she was the new girl, but no one knew about that and it went away after her third day at Konoha. Besides, Naruto had basically fallen in love with her and I couldn't do that to my best friend.

Harima rested her head on my shoulder and sighed. I could hear the "thump thump thump" of her heart racing. She was fainthearted, wasn't she? That was fine. I wasn't going to let her fall.

"Hey Harima," I started. I wanted to ask her if she needed a ride to the concert on Saturday. "Harima?" Was she ignoring me or was she listening and not saying like always?

She didn't say a word. At first I thought she was just being quiet again, but then Sakura and Tenten said "Aw," when they turned around to check on her.

"Hey Kiba. I knew you were soft, but if little girls fall asleep on you…" commented Sasuke. I don't know why, but something really didn't sit quite right with me about the way he worded that.

"Sleep? Who's asleep…besides Shikamaru…sort of?" I responded. Sasuke gestured toward Harima. Oh, _she_ was asleep. Yeah that was the conclusion most people came to. She was gonna flip when we got to Neji's house and she woke up on me. Deep down, I have to admit to myself that I blushed a little.

We came to the Hyuuga Estate and the black Iron Gate swung open. They were so ritzy. It was sickening. One by one we filed in through their back door leading to the kitchen. The kitchen, if you don't know, is a boy's favorite place. Namely, this boy's favorite place. Although I had to put Harima down somewhere if I was gonna eat. The Hyuugas are always loaded. Harima first, then insanely good food.

I hurried past the kitchen, where everybody else was taking a seat. I came into the den and came to a couch. She should be comfortable enough here. I leaned back and unhooked her long skinny arms from my neck. She collided with the couch and curled up in fetal position. One armed covered her face. She had this way of sleeping that was intriguing to me. It was kawaii to me and all but it concerned me. I patted he shoulder and she curled up into a tighter ball.

That sealed it. Something was wrong and I was going to find out what no matter how little Harima said.

Naruto POV

"Naruto, can you do us all a favor and let whatever happens with Kiba and Harima-chan happen?" Sakura said, getting her own bottle of Ramune out of the refrigerator. Kiba and Harima had gone into the next room so Kiba could put her down I guess. I guessed Sakura had heard my comment to Kiba about Harima taking to him so fast.

"What?" I said in my defense. "It's going so slow with them."

"Dude! They only met a week ago. You expect them to be together forever in holy friggin' matrimony?" Temari said. Damn, she was so easily worked up! Shikamaru put a hand on her shoulder and her sudden rush of PMS was gone.

"N-naruto-kun. Harima and Kiba are meant for each other. They will come together in due time." I thought about what Hinata said. Well they did have a similar likeness when you got past the whole she completes him thing.

Kiba came in. His jaw was set and he looked more pissed. He dragged out a chair and plopped down in it hard. Suddenly, somebody turned off the happy. Was there something in the air today?

"Kiiiiiba!" Ino said in her singsong voice. "How's Harima sleeping?"

"Something's not right," he grumbled. "Someone's hurting her."

We all paused. Where had that even come from? Why did he care? What should we do about it if she didn't tell us anything? Either way, I wouldn't stand for anyone hurting anyone in the gang. New and quiet or otherwise.

"How do you know?" asked Sasuke.

Kiba exhaled. "Did you notice how the day after the mall thing, she had a wristband where that creepy guy had her arm?"

Come to think of it, that was kind of accurate. She had that bruise on her forehead that wasn't there yesterday. The creepy guy looked young. Was he like her big brother or something? No he didn't look like her at all.

"Well we can't do anything until she tells us," Sakura said. She looked concerned. "Somebody go wake her up."

Of course Kiba was all over that because before Sakura finished her sentence. He was in love with her and I didn't understand why they didn't get over it and get together.

Kiba returned with Harima. She was doe-eyed as usual. He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down. She slouched tiredly. She sighed. I want to know why he didn't just let her sit on his lap. Why was he being so spineless.

"Harima. Do you want to stay over tonight?" Neji said. We all glanced at him. What was he doing? Then he looked at Tenten and winked. Someone would have to explain this to me later.

"Stay over?" she sighed. She looked like she really wanted to. She was about to reply when her cell phone vibrated. She glanced at the caller ID. I peeked at it too. _Him_, it read.

She looked a little livid which was even scarier to behold than Sakura when she's on her time of month.

She stood up and left the room. We all fell silent as she began to talk. We could hear the guys on the phone screaming at her and it made my blood boil for her. If I was ready for action, then Kiba was ready to kill whoever _He _was.

"_Where the hell are you, Harima_?"

"I'm with my friends. Please stop yelling." Harima sounded helpless.

"_I'll yell whenever and to whoever I feel like, bitch. Get your ass home before I beat you twice as hard,_" _He_ remarked. "_We need to finish what we started_."

There was a pause. Even I was anxious to stay quiet and hear her response. Finish what they started? What was going on at her place?

"I'm not coming home, Ryu" was all she said. She was fighting the urge to cry. I know that kind of voice anywhere.

The guy named Ryu laughed. "Of course you're coming home. You do what I tell you to do." He was sounding more and more like a pedophile. I didn't like him.

"I'm staying with a friend from school," Harima explained. "You don't know her."

"The blind one with the dark hair or the blonde slutty one?" Ryu asked. "Either way, I know where you are."

Ino hissed something under her breath out of anger. Hinata should have too and it made me mad that she was just gonna take that. Her eyes were just pretty and she was far was blind. In fact, she was really intuitive.

"S-stay away from me, you loser," Harima interjected. "And stay away from them."

She must have hung up after that because there was dead silence after that. She came back to the kitchen where we resumed our conversation like we'd been talking without her. Some use that was. She knew we were listening.

"Thank you for staying over, Harima," Hinata said happily. Her smile was so pretty, I thought. "We're gonna have so much fun."

"You heard him…"

At first we thought we imagined her, but this was the first time Harima had ever spoken on her own terms. No one prompted her to and she was good at not talking when somebody wanted her to. Her voice was so soft it was like she was talking to herself.

"I have to go now." Harima got up in a hurry and started toward the door. Kiba grabbed her arm.

"At least let me walk you there," he almost begged. "Please don't go if you don't want to."

She really didn't want to leave. She looked at Kiba blankly and paused as if she was thinking about what to do next. She walked past him and sat back down.

"I'll show him a thing or two. I'm no slut!" Ino grumbled. Sai patted her shoulder and kissed her forehead. Ino had really softened him. When we first met him, he was openly spreading rumors about us. I was kind of glad when Ino came around. We were all about to kill him.

"Excellent, now it's time for some long overdue interrogation," Sasuke said coolly, causing Harima to look confused. Even I was confused about it. What interrogation?

"Yeah, Harima-san", Neji added, draping his arm over Tenten's shoulder. I heard that he finally asked her out. "Whether you like it or not, you are tell us about yourself."

I put my arm around Hinata like I saw Neji do with Tenten. I just wanted to do it badly enough. She didn't reject it. In fact, she welcomed it. Did Hinata have a thing for me like I had a thing for her?


	5. Admit It Ryu Caught!

Hey you guys! Thanks so much for reading Hidden Behind Silence. I'm actually surprised that I got reviews for it. Special thank to TimeToWrite (awesome username!) and RoseTiger(Yes I update quickly) for their comments because I wasn't going to continue this right away. Thankz again!

Harima POV

I was so embarrassed that they heard Ryu and his loud abusive voice. Now they probably know something's not right at my house. That's why Hinata and Neji invited me to stay. I honestly would have if Ryu didn't tell me he knew where they lived already. I couldn't put them in danger.

The thing is that Ryu ruined everything for me…maybe even my mother.

I was maybe six when my mother first brought him home. I was happy for her because my dad died before I was born and she found someone to love her even with a kid in first grade. She introduced him to me as Rayito Yanaku, but the impression he left on me was caused by that elongated tattoo around his neck coming up from his back. The tattoo of a dragon. So he became Ryu to me. The Dragon.

Pretty soon they got serious. He started spending the night, he started coming with us when we went out and overall he was my competition for my mother's love. They got married when I had just turned ten. That was also the first day of reality.

He started turning from fun-loving Ryu-sama to the abusive lazy bastard on our living room couch, Ryu-teme. He began to call my mother out of her name and swear at her in English, knowing she didn't understand. I understood and I was old enough to know that my mother wasn't any of those things. He used to laugh at her when she didn't understand and hit her when she didn't give him the answers he wanted. Things like that went from being an occasional thing to often to everyday. I tried to stay as far away from as possible, but when he was known to that idea, he started hitting me whenever I didn't speak to him or when I said something he didn't want to hear.

Originally, the move to Konoha was supposed to serve the purpose of getting away from Ryu, but it didn't work since they were married. He came along too.

I haven't seen my mother since she started her new job. I guess she's trying to stay away from Ryu. I understood why. I even understood why she never seemed to come for me. Coming for me was risking her well-being even life. He wouldn't kill me because I'm worth more alive than dead. It doesn't matter anyway. As long as Ryu is on this whole new pedophile kick…I am dead.

I snapped back to my situation. I was at Hinata and Neji's house with my friends. We were sitting at this big glass table with cushioned chairs and armrests. God, they were rich. This was much nicer than the apartment we lived in.

"Where are you from, Harima-san?" Sai asked me. Sai smiled that smile that Ryu smiled a week ago. The memory rushed back to my head, making it hurt. I'd endured much more so I dealt with it.

"Nara…" I said lowly. They are just trying to get to know me, I told myself. This is what friends do when they first meet each other…I think. Shikamaru exhaled in some kind of laugh. Oh yeah his last name was Nara.

"How old are you?" asked Sakura.

Ryu asked me how old I was too. "Close enough," he'd said.

"Fifteen," I answered. "I'll be sixteen on July 6th."

"Really? You're only a day older than me!" Kiba barked. He smiled widely and smiled back. For real this time. Not one of my corner mouth twitches. I loved his energy.

"We can have our birthday party together now!" he said excitedly. I shrugged. Inside, I was freaking out. He had plans to still be my friend in July!

"What's your favorite anime?" asked Tenten. "I like the cute stuff like Peach Girl and Ouran Host Club." She had seen me reading Peach Girl that day we officially met, hadn't she.

"I-I'm into the gory stuff. I like Hellsing and Full Metal Alchemist and Beck was good." I was getting a little louder with each passing question and I was proud of myself.

"Where did you learn to sing like that?" Temari interjected. "You were amazing!" I beamed. I'd had never sung anything before the Karaoke thing. I never tried.

"Who was your first kiss?" asked Naruto. I choked down a laugh. I had been told about_ his_ first kiss and surprisingly it was not Hinata. I thought it was pretty sad that my technical first kiss was pretty much stolen from me, but then again, it wasn't a mutual thing so it wasn't a real kiss. So I guess the answer was that I hadn't had my first kiss yet.

"Who was _your_ first kiss?" I countered, thinking it was funny. I instantly covered my mouth, thinking I had gone too far. Naruto and Sasuke scowled and the rest of them laughed. I slowly uncovered my mouth and uttered an apology.

"Guys," Temari said in awe. "She's so innocent. She hasn't kissed anybody yet." I turned deep red and looked down. Everyone here was so fun. Twisted in a sick sort of way, but fun. I think I was the only one who hadn't kissed a boy yet. Man, I was embarrassed.

"Aw, she's so cute!" Tenten said pressing her cheek to mine when she hugged me. My nose is pierced, I don't own a shred of pink, and I have never owned a skirt (unless you count the school uniform). Cute was definitely not what I was going for.

"What do you want to do when you graduate? I mean, you're the second in the class. Are you going to university?" asked Sakura. "I mean what do you want to do?" I looked blankly at her and then at the collection of empty Ramune bottles. Something told me that the sixth one may have been too much. She was hyper and talking a mile a minute.

"Well yeah, I want to go to university," I sighed. "I want to go around the world too." My dream in life was actually to get the hell away from Ryu.

"Why are you so quiet?" Kiba asked. I paused. I really had no answer for that one. I've always been this quiet. It was just who I am.

"I don't know…"

It was Hinata's turn for a question. I kind of relaxed a little because next to me, she was the most innocent person I know. Still, her mind has been contaminated by these blockheads.

"Ano…" she started shyly. "What do you like to do?"

"I like singing…sometimes I watch poetry…or play video games."

She smiled, feeling that she accomplished something. Hinata was almost like my best friend of this whole group. She knew more about me then than everybody else did when they just asked me outright. That's the duty as a best friend, I guess.

Kiba POV

Okay I admit it. I may be in love with Harima. Okay I am, but what point did it make. She was so quiet and innocent and I'm loud and I like to cause trouble. She probably went for the cool type like Sasuke or Shikamaru. But if that was the case then she wouldn't have fallen asleep on me, huh?

"Hey Harima do you need a ride to the concert on Saturday? My sister can drive us," I blurted. She turned her head to look at me. Damn, so much for being smooth. I just blew that.

She closed her eyes and giggled. "You're sister won't mind?" She looked up with those big blue eyes of hers. My heart jumped into my throat.

"No! Of course not!" I lied. Of course Hana was going to kill me. After Kin, she decided that she didn't want me to bring anymore girls home. Then again, Harima was far from being Ino. "Hana'd love you!"

"You can pick her up from here!" Hinata suggested. "Neji's car only has two seat anyway."

Harima smiled at me. "Arigato Kiba…kun." Kun? I was Kiba-kun! Yes! I thought I played that kind of smooth didn't I?

The next day at school, Harima was back to her old self. Quiet, sullen and Harima. Now that the girls are surrounding her I can't see her that well. I had no choice t to pay attention to the lesson.

Kurenai-sensei got boring so I started to write a new song for the band. So far I had come up with nothing and Battle of the Bands was coming up. Pretty soon I got engrossed in it.

_She's sitting with her friends_

_Looking found and lost_

_Hidden in her silence_

_And I wonder at what cost._

_Her smile can melt a diamond_

_And her laugh can break a heart_

_As I wish I could tell her_

_I wouldn't know where to start_

"Kiba, please read what you have so far to the class," Kurenai-sensei said suddenly. I looked up. How did she know I wasn't doing her assignment when her back was turned? What was with her some kind of shinigami or something? "Come up to the front of the class and read."

You know how you read those mangas and they say getting called up to the front is like being on death row? Whoever wrote that is an idiot. It's ten times worse.

"_She's sitting with her friends_

_Looking found and lost_

_Hidden in her silence_

_And I wonder at what cost._

_Her smile can melt a diamond_

_And her laugh can break a heart_

_As I wish I could tell her_

_I wouldn't know where to start"_

I felt dorky having to read the start of my song out loud. Especially with the girls watching. Knowing Kin, she probably thought it was about her. We broke up months ago. I had decided that I wouldn't tell Harima about me and Kin. Kin had bullied her and it would go all wrong if she found out that I used to go out with one of her tormentors.

"That's a very good start Kiba. Sounds like a lovely girl in your poem." I looked up at her confused. What was the assignment and how did I accidently do the assignment. "Please sit down and finish it."

"We had to write a poem or a song," Sakura whispered to me on my way back to my seat. "You lucky teme!"

I exhaled and passed Harima who was refraining from silence. "What?" I asked, matching her smile. "What? Am I funny?" Please say yes, PLEASE say yes. She nodded. I smiled wider and shook my head at her. I patted her head and proceeded to my seat. Damn, that was close!

"Well obviously, you weren't talking about Kin," Naruto said as I took my seat in front of him and behind Temari. "You've got another girl on the brain."

"Naruto…" Sasuke started. You know that street in front of the school?"

"Yeah?"

"Go play in it," I finished. Honestly, Naruto kind of set himself up for that one.

"Writing a new song for the band, huh?" Neji commented. "It sounds good so far."

"Thanks."

"The concert tomorrow should be easy with your new muse there," Sai said smugly.

"What the hell are you guys getting at?" I demanded. I stole a glance at Harima while Temari wasn't in the way. She was busy writing whatever poem came to her head, whatever was in her head.

"Dude, we all know you like Harima-chan," Shikamaru yawned. He got up to go turn his paper in. "We knew before you knew."

"No way!" I argued. I was a little defensive about being easy to read. It was my strength and my downfall.

"So you don't like Harima? Can you look me in the eye and say that you don't like Harima Riuzi?" challenged Naruto. Those whiskers of his seemed to taunt me. I looked away. One thing I cannot do is look somebody in the eye and tell a lie. I knew I liked (maybe even loved) Harima and I guess they knew it before I did.

The PA system crackled to life. Everyone hated that sound. "Kurenai?" Principal Tsunade voice said. "Can you send down Riuzi Harima to my office. It's her stepfather."

"Let me take her down!" I offered. Kurenai sensei agreed and Harima and I got up from our seats and walked into the hallway. She was pale and sullen. In other words…she was scared shitless.

Was that Ryu guy from last night…her stepfather?

"Oh here you are, Harima. Okay, Kiba you can go back to class now." Principal Tsunade was unusually pleasant and it was kinda scaring me so I patted Harima's head, scowled at the creepy guy and left into the hallway. I ducked into the hall's bathroom just in time to see Harima and Ryu trail out. Ryu shut the door behind him and looked up and own the hallway before slamming her against the wall.

"Why didn't you come home last night when I told you too?" he demanded. "I told you to get your ass home!"

"I stayed with my friend," she said. That blow to her back must have knocked the wind out of her.

"I'm not stupid like you or your mother. I know where you were! They wouldn't let me in the gate to get you!" Ryu hissed. I smirked to myself. I may or may not have had anything to do with that. The more I listened, the harder it got for me to stand there and just listen. Harima…she was just taking it.

SMACK!

He'd smack her clear across her face.

"HEY!" I heard myself say. I came from around the corner faster than I could have ever run. "Keep your hands off of her!"

Ryu had her by the wrist and his face was half an inch away from hers. He backed away from her to face me and chuckled. "And who might you be? The hall monitor?" My blood boiled. How dare he disrespect his own stepchild and her mother? I split second passed before my fist collided with his face. In the impact, he'd let go of Harima who just backed away and looked doe eyed.

He didn't hit me back, but he did kind of laugh at me. "Looking out for her is a lost cause. Pretty soon, she's gonna have to come home and well she knows what's gonna happen when she comes home." Nobody had ever been more slimy and disgusting to me ever. Maybe Vice Principal Orochimaru but I think he's getting help with that now.

He shoved his hands in his pocket and exited through the main doors. Then it was just me and Harima, who was on the floor with her knees to her chest and her head resting in them. I saw her wrap her arms around her knees. She was crying.

"Harima?" I said sitting down next to her.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she said loudly, but she was muffled by her arms. I scooted closer to her and tried to hug her as best as I could. She leaned closer to me almost instantly. "I'm so sorry."

I knew she wasn't sorry that Ryu had hit her or that she hadn't told anybody. She wasn't sorry that he called her and her mother stupid either. I'm not the first in the class like Shikamaru, but I didn't need that to know that she was apologizing because I had seen it.


	6. Short Skirts

Norealanswer: hey guys. Umm quick note for my readers. I wrote "Rima's song" myself, but my older brother actually sung it for his gf (!!!) Anyway no bashing about my horrible song writing and ejoy this chapter! Happy reading. I love your reviews!

Harima POV

I woke up on the couch in Hinata's room Saturday morning. She was still asleep. The first thing I thought about was the incident yesterday. He promised to keep it a secret although he did say something that rang in my head.

_"Harima-chan, I'm always going to be around and no ones going to hurt you as long as I'm around. So you can forget about ever fending for yourself."_

I smiled to myself. That was so sweet of him. I remembered that he and his sister were picking me up today for that concert. Still I stayed on the couch. I had nothing to wear so I probably won't go at all. I was still a little shaken up about yesterday, but I had to relax. I was in the Hyuuga's house under tight security. Relax, Harima, relax!

I glanced at the Kuromi clock on the wall. It was already eleven thirty. Gee, the concert was at ten fifteen. I hopped off the couch, stretched, and looked around. I decided to go in the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I had to pass her walk-in closet. I swear her closet was as big as my room in the apartment. I passed six big Reno's bags on her closet floor. Hinata always got something new.

"Harima-chan!" Hinata yelled. "Harima-chan! We woke up late! We have so much to do!" She rushed into the closet, picked up all six bags and tossed them at her bed. She looked up at me. Her hair was in disarray and she looked like…well morning. Yesterday, I had laughed at this. Today, I kinda thought it was a good idea not to do that.

I finished in the bathroom and sat on the couch to fold up my blankets and put the pillows back on Hinata's bed. I wondered what all we had to do today and why was it so important? Hinata dumped at the Reno's bags out. Each of them had something different in them. "Okay, Harima. We sent out for some new clothes for you."

I joined her at the side of the bed to sift through the merchandise. There was a lot of awesome stuff there.

"Ino says we all have to wear a skirt," Hinata explained. The word skirt made me cringe. I've never worn a skirt. They looked uncomfortable. "It's a group thing."

Now I was getting in on the group stuff. I loved all of them to death, but skirts were just something I couldn't do. Not even for them.

I watched as Hinata shook out a dark blue plaid skirt. It wasn't pleated thank god, but it was still very short. Not me at all. She shoved it at me and pushed me into the closet. "Don't come out until you have it on."

Without anything else to do, I slipped on the skirt and buttoned the gold skull head buttons. It wouldn't have been that bad if it didn't stop five inches above my knees. I would have to get some leggings or something. I had to cover my legs. I felt so self-conscious about them. Overall, it wasn't that bad.

I emerged from the closet wearing the skirt. Hinata squealed and took a picture with her phone. At that moment I realized how they coddled me so. "Harima, that skirt looks awesome on you. Ino sure has an eye for fashion."

I should have known Ino was behind the whole short skirt business. The way she rolled her uniform skirt up should have been enough of a hint for me. I sighed. "Do you have any leggings for me?" I said under my breath.

"Why?" she asked. "I-it's fine the way it is." She had to be kidding me. I wasn't going to a concert in a skirt this short! I sulked. Hinata threw me a black shirt that said "People like me eat people like you for breakfast!" There were random blood spatters on the words. It was totally cool. I slipped it on and looked at myself in the mirror on the closet door. Not bad at all

I rejoined Hinata as she found a pleated black skirt. That was simple enough for her. Her shirt was red and had FAME in big black blocky sparkyly letters.

Neji knocked on the door. "Hinata! Are you guys up? We gotta start getting ready!" I went to open the door to let him in. He came in without noticing who opened the door. So so self-interested I thought. I closed the door behind him. Hinata was putting something on her arms. Then she darted off to the bathroom.

Neji was already dressed, but his long hair was uncombed. Out of curiosity, I went to go see what I could use for accessories. There were a lot of things. I didn't know what to pick. Hmm, I thought.

"What are _you_ looking for?" Neji asked me. "Accessories? Are we trying to impress a certain someone?"

I glared at him and went back to my browsing. Neji continued talking anyway. "Well that skirt's short enough to make an impression." I rolled my eyes.

"Nii-san! Leave Harima alone. Why are you even in here?" Hinata yelled from the bathroom. I didn't understand it. Hinata and Neji were so different. Neji was arrogant and Hinata was humble. Neji liked to talk and Hinata didn't like to talk. How were they cousins? I didn't say anything though.

Neji shrugged. "Well it's not like you two are worth talking to. I just wanted to make sure you two are up and getting ready." He shrugged and left the room.

"Whatever," Hinata said to herself. She came out from the bathroom with her hair up in a messy but with pins in it. She was ready to go. "Hey, did you find something you like?" She gestured to the accessories scattered on the bed. I picked up a big black bow with a lightning bolt punk pin in the middle at the same time she picked up a Gothic style choker with Queen Elizabeth in white ivory shining in the middle.

We were both ready with three hours, but the guys had to get there early for sound check so we were right on time. Hinata and Neji went out to go pick Tenten up. She was going to squeeze in the back between the seats and the trunk. I was able to stay in the living room to wait for Kiba and his sister Hana.

I began to replay what he said in my mind over and over again. It made me happy like some fangirl over yaoi. I couldn't wait to hear the band play. To entertain myself, I got on the Hyuuga computer. I would expect them to have top of the line technology.

HONK HONK HONK!

Is it too late to back out from the concert?

Kiba POV

As I thought, Hana was not happy about having to pick up a girl. The only reason I got her to come is because she's never met Harima. Good thing I talked her up enough. We came to the Hyuuga estate and Hana started her third degree. At least Akamaru got to come along.

"Why is this Harima chick at Hinata's house? Is she like in the maid's family?" she asked looking confused. I looked blankly at her before I stepped out of the truck. She was so superficial. Hana honked her horn three times before I got to the front door. She had such class, I thought sarcastically. I jogged up the stairs to the front door and knocked on it.

"Harima! Come on!" I yelled. "Don't make me come in there!"

I was about to bang on the door again out of impatience when the door swung open. My jaw dropped and I didn't bother to pick it up. This wasn't the Harima I see at school every day. This Harima had on a very short skirt and I was enjoying that very very much.

She started to walk past me and as she did so, she giggled. So she knew she looked good. I ran to get the door for her. She smiled at me before climbing in next to Hana. Hana smiled at her.

"Hey, I'm Hana!" my big sister said to her. Harima smiled back at her.

"I'm Harima Riuzi. Nice to meet you and thank you for giving me a ride today." I looked from Harima to Hana. This was playing way too well. Hana hadn't made any snide remarks. Harima was actually charming her. Damn, what couldn't she do?

"Arf! Arf!" Akamaru yipped coming to the front. He was small enough not to squish anybody. He stood on Harima's lap with his paws on her chest licking her face.

"Down Akamaru!" I laughed. He hopped on my lap and wagged his tail. Akumaru was my buddy.

"He's kawaii," Harima commented, petting his head. Akamaru seemed to like that.

"So you're the girl from Nara my little brother keeps talking about," Hana started. I exhaled and looked out the window. I couldn't watch this. Why couldn't she just leave things alone.

"Mhm," Harima nodded.

"You don't talk very loudly do you?" Hana quizzed. "That's good. Kiba needs a quiet girl to show him a good example."

"Hana!" I yelled without meaning to. "Shut up!" Hana ignored me and proceed to ask her all these random questions like if she was a cat person or a dog person…if she liked pink or blue…if she would name her first son after me (we bothed turned a nice shade of radioactive red on that question).

Finally Hana shut up. We were at the address of the concert. I opened the door and Harima, Akamaru and I trailed out. "Okay, I'll come to get you at about one in the morning okay?" She was cool in that way. Unlike most guardians, she thought it was healthy for me to be a fifteen and out all hours of the night. She drove away and we were left on the sidewalk. It was a warm day in May so it's not like it was a bad thing. I lead them inside the basement of a place that sold American food.

"Kiba! Harima!" Ino yelled out. She, Neji, Hinata, Tenten, and Sai were already there. Ino rushed up to Harima and hugged her. "You look good in a skirt. You should wear one more often!" Then she looked at me and added, "I know Kiba's enjoying that view…"

"What the hell does that mean? I'm not a nasty pervert like Orochimaru-sensei!" I barked defensively. "Why do all of you insist on provoking me?!" Ino stuck her tongue out at me and called over her shoulder for Harima to leave dogs to play.

"Kiba-kun," Harima started. She was talking loud enough for only me to hear. "If you like what you see, then you have a bad way of hiding it." I looked down at her and she looked up at me. We paused. Then she went to join the girls. I mentally scolded myself. _See Kiba? Right there! That was a good time to kiss her right there!_

I joined the guys on the stage. I told a folded piece of paper out of my front pocket and stared down at the words on it:

_She's sitting with her friends_

_Looking found and lost_

_Hidden in her silence_

_And I wonder at what cost._

_Her smile can melt a diamond_

_And her laugh can break a heart_

_As I wish I could tell her_

_I wouldn't know where to start_

_I wrote this song for her_

_She makes my perfect world_

_And no one can mistake _

_The way she makes me ache_

_I love the way she moves_

_And carry a damn tune_

_Hey girl!_

_I wrote this song for you!_

_She likes the anime_

_With all the gory stuff_

_She soaks it in by day_

_By night she's had enough_

_She's unapproachable_

_Can't ask for just one kiss_

_Maybe when I am down_

_I'll meet those glossed up lips_

_(Chorus)_

I handed it to Neji, who proof read it and nodded. "You got a name for it?" he asked me.

"We performing it tonight?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Of course not. We haven't rehearsed it."

I looked at the girl who was a stranger to me a week ago and who now may be the girls I'm crazy about. "Rima's Song…" I said confidently. Neji gave me that approving smile of his and nodded.

"Not bad for your first song," he said smugly.


	7. Concert Night

Hinata POV

I am most at ease when I am with my friends. That includes Harima now. The kids around school used to say "Those girls and the quiet freak" or "Those band groupies and Harima." Now they just say the girls that hang around the band. She's one of us now.

"Oh that sucks!" Ino groaned. She'd been going through her phone rereading her texts from Sai when she got a new one. "Karin and her crew are coming!"

We all groaned. Harima dropped her head and sighed. A vein pulsed under her eye.

"Hey…" Tenten said suddenly, sounding devious. ""This is a good thing…"

"T-tenten-chan...how?" I asked trying not to sound too dejected.

"Well who are they lusting over? Karin is lusting over Sasuke, Tayuya is lusting after Shikamaru, and Kin is lusting after Kiba…who are they crazy about?"

"Tayuya's lusting after…Shikmaru?!" Temari raged through clenched teeth. She balled her fists and seethed. Her facial features went blank after a few seconds and she pulled out her lacy pocket fan and fanned herself. Cool air calms her down. "Well okay…continue."

Ino patted her shoulder and Temari calmed down.

"They are all crazy about girls in this group. Sasuke likes Sakura, Shikamaru likes Temari and Kiba likes Harima, correct?" Tenten continued. I was beginning to see her point. If Karin and her crew saw "their" boys fawning over Temari, Sakura, and Harima, then their heads would do a 360 and spontaneously combust. What a delightful thought. I noticed Harima out of the corner of my eye. Her eyes were almost lifeless like her forced smile. Did she know that Kiba and Kin used to be an item? I doubt that Kiba had told her considering the hell Kin put him through.

"Sasuke likes me. Sasuke likes me!" Sakura sang, skipping in a circle around our group. She looked pretty happy. Even Temari looked a little less frosty when she heard that Shikamaru likes her. Harima, as usual, said nothing at all.

"This is going to be so freakin' sweet!" Ino praised.

"Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan!" a familiar energetic voice called out. Naruto. I turned around to the stage where he had his guitar and a pick. "Watch this!"

My dad would have thought that was a useless contraption creating a god awful din, but what did he know about underground rock? Nothing except whatever Neji tried to explain. Naruto played a single chord but did this kind of jerk. I thought it was cute and funny at the same time. I started to laugh and when I laughed, he smiled like he achieved something. He was just so sure of himself and wasn't afraid to make a total ass of himself. That was his Konoha High School Student way.

"What did you think, Hinata-chan?" he asked. My heart was beating its way out of my chest out of nervousness. Don't pass out, Hinata! Don't pass out, Hinata!

Then a look of seriousness crossed his face. He blushed. "Hinata, you're single right? I want you to be my girlfriend!"

Yeah…I was dreaming, wasn't I? I cannot begin to scratch the surface of how many times I've dreamed that he would ask me that. I stared up at him, wide eyed. It was a dream, I told myself.

"I think he wants you to say yes," Harima whispered in my ear. I don't know when she got there, but if she had heard him ask me that question, then he must have really asked it.

"H-hai!" I said nodding furiously. My bangs slapped my forehead, but I didn't care. The boy I had been in love with for the whole time I'd known him had just asked me out. "Hai Naruto-kun!" His smile returned to his face. This smile was the most brilliant smile I'd ever seen. My whole dream had just come true. I looked to Harima, who looked jealous and impressed at the same time, but more impressed. I was impressed that I didn't pass out.

The rest of them came over to us and squealed. I always thought I would be among one of the last to have an official boyfriend. "Hinata, that's great I'm so happy for you!" Ino said grabbing my hands and jumping up and down, up and down.

"Well done," Harima said lowly. She was smiling genuinely though. I think she had had something to do with it, but I would be sure to ask her later at home.

"If only that lazy mutt would ask me out already," Temari commented, only half joking. I think Shikamaru was planning some creative way to ask her out. At least I hope he was after making her wait so long.

"Look you both know the other one likes you. Isn't that going out?" Sakura remarked. Temari and Harima had that look Tenten had described as PWNED!

"Huh, I'm bored now. Harima, sing a song!" Ino yawned. Harima's head whipped around, wanting to say that mall karaoke was one thing, but singing outright was quite another. She opened her mouth to say so but Temari cut her off.

"Yeah! Sing! Sing! Sing!" she chanted. Pretty soon all the girls were chanting. Then the sound of instruments stopped and the boys started chanting "Sing!"

Harima smiled sweetly. "Okay?"

"_Kondo wa itsu aeru ka nante_

_Sonna kao shite yoku ieru tte_

_Omotteta yo nande darou_

_Nanimo ki ni naranai furi shite_

_Iiwake suru nara kiku wa asa made_

_Tsunagattetai kara"_

Temari joined in…

"_Mou kao mo mitakunai meguro gawasoi_

_Arienai tenkai odoru keetai_

_Gubbai meeru naraba wasuretai_

_"Hold me tight" but "dokka kietai"_

_any time shaberi sugi no KY_

_Chirari miseru tsuyogari na "I cry"_

_Namida no kouka wa dore kurai?"_

Then they both start singing. Temari is nowhere near as talented as Harima, but it sounded good anyway.

"_Watashi nari ni "ai saretai" afureru no ni kimi ga mienai_

_Nido to kimi ni aenai sonna ki ga surunda..._

_Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba miataranai_

_Watashi tabun uso demo ii no ni "ikanai de" mo ienai yo"_

"Who knew you could sound good, Temari?" Shikamaru mused. "You can rap pretty well, woman."

Temari glared at him. "What's it too you, you lazy mutt?" she demanded. She was so typical. One of these days she was going to admit that she was in love with Shikamaru. Shikamaru hopped off the stage and lazily strolled over to Temari. When he was close enough, they stared each other down.

5…4…3…2…1….

Shikamaru leaned down a little bit and kissed Temari, who was not opposed to it. In fact, she wanted it to happen. That was how Temari planned it out. She wasn't as slick as she thought she was, but we never said anything about it.

"It's hot…" Shikamaru commented before heading back to the stage. "How troublesome. One day I'm going to make a decent wife out of you."

"Mutt!" Temari called back to him, but she was blushing. All of us were blushing about the whole wife part.

Harima went to go sit down at the bar on a stool. She looked really bored. Kiba looked at her, took his guitar off, and hopped off the stage to join her. He sat on the barstool next to her. They started talking. Well Kiba was talking and Harima was nodding her head and occasionally saying words.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto said coming up behind me. He hugged me. I hugged him back. Nothing felt as right in the world as us hugging. Then Neji came up and whispered something in Naruto's ear.

"I'm all for that!" Naruto said breaking away from me. Aw… "See you later, Hinata-chan." He kissed my cheek before getting back on stage. Hearts flooded my vision. This must be what love feels like, I thought.

Naruto POV

I finally asked her out! Neji was right. It was like ripping off a band-aid! I'm not giving him all the credit. Harima texted me that I should ask her out before the concert started. She sucked at talking, but I've never seen anything as fast as Harima's fingers on a keyboard.

Either way I was on cloud nine, happiest man in the world, and no one can take that away from me.

People came in for the concert group by group. Temari and Harima got behind the table to sell our demo CDs. Like I said, if it has keys, Harima is all over it.

Hinata and Sakura helped set up the microphones and amplifiers. I don't know where Ino and Tenten disappeared to, but we'd be seeing them after the concert, I snickered to myself.

Neji had told me that we were going to their house after the concert to (snicker) 'have some fun', I'm all over that.

"Kiba! Tear yourself away from Harima long enough to oh I don't know PERFORM!" Sasuke reprimanded. He was nervous. He was very irritable when he was nervous.

Kiba waved Sasuke off and looked out into the crowd. His annoying smile turned into a panicked frown. He hurried to the stage and picked up his guitar. "Kin's here!" He squeaked. Ugh, that means Karin and Tayuya were here too. I sighed and a bead of sweat dropped from my forehead. "Yo! Sasuke? Karin is here!" Neji teased. Sasuke scowled.

The few people had multiplied into a crowd. Harima and Temari were waited for the mob. Tayuya and Kin went to go get CDs. That was so ironic. They were love rivals. Except the two girls behind the counter were more likely to get Shikamaru and Kiba. And they were nicer and prettier and smarter…and BETTER!

Harima rang up the two CDs and gave one to each one. Kin took hers and looked down at Harima and pulled her hair in the front. It must have been hard because her head jerked foreheard. Tayuya and Kin laughed as they walked away. Temari scowled and Harima looked after them in disbelief. When they were far enough away, Harima almost lunged over the table looking ravenous for blood. Temari held her back, laughing. I turned and saw Kiba looking annoyed as he played a chord on his guitar. He saw the whole thing too.

I looked at the digital clock. 9:58 it was two minutes to show time. I was pumped up and ready for jamming.

Hinata waved her fingers at me and made my heart soar. She was so cute. I could stare into those eyes for days. Those crystal clear eyes were kind of purple tinted. Her hair was this dark blue color that drove me mad and her high voice was…Concert, Uzumaki, Focus on the concert. You can have Hinata all to yourself after the concert.

"Hey,hey We are Band With Issues," Neji started. Girls cheered and guys barked with anticipation. "I'm supposed to let you know that our girls Temari No Sabaku and Harima Riuzi have our demo CDs for eight hundred yen!"

The spotlight (manned by Tenten) landed on the two girls at the table. Harima didn't even look up and Temari tried to wave it away. Guys from all over whooped and wolf whistled. Kiba and Shikamaru scowled and growled. How jealous they were.

We started to play _Minutes to a Sign _a song Shikamaru and Neji had co-written.

_Redheads make me sick_

_They always make me itch_

_I hate the way they roll_

_They're words burned in their souls_

_When can we catch a break? _

_When they make my stomach ache_

_Where is the sanity?_

_I want my remedy_

_It's her_

_She's a curse _

_Someone tell me why_

_Where's the hells my sign?_

We had the crowd in the palm of our hands. Sasuke wasn't a bad singer. Sakura was swooning in the crowd. She, Ino and Hinata were in the front row of the crowd, dancing. In the back, flickered by strobe lights every so often, were dancing and vending our CDs. They were going fast. This was probably our best turnout ever.

Playing is a good thing in the world. Playing when you have a new girlfriend is even better. Playing in a packed concert knowing you might get lucky with your new girlfriend is the best thing in the world.

I spotted Karin, Tayuya, and Kin dancing suggestively in the middle of the dance floor, eyeing their targets onstage. Glad that one of them wasn't me. I've seen Hinata fight and it ain't pretty.

We finished the song and the crowd went wild. They loved us. Hell, I loved me too. We started the next song. This one was slower. Since I don't sing, I stopped paying attention to the lyrics. It was just me and my guitar for about five minutes.

The song was called Melina. I have no idea who Melina was, nor did I want to. Melina was more or less an alibi for one of those girls. Depends on who wrote it. I don't think it's hard for you readers to do the math there.

Three more hours of this unexplainable awesomeness passed before sadly, it ended. The concert was over. Temari was counting the money and Harima was kicking back with her feet on the table and a book on her face. Was she sleeping?

The SOLD OUT sign was as bright as day in the dark room. People were beginning to leave as we got ready to go. We started packing up. All I could think about was Hinata.

"N-Naruto-kun did very well tonight," she said from the bottom of the stage. I helped her up and kissed her.

"Aw that's only because you were there," I complimented. She blushed. Aw, I loved it when she blushed. It was her way of showing affection.

"I'm rich! RICH! I say!" Kiba said throwing the money in the air and letting it rain on his face. Harima hadn't moved a muscle. She was beyond asleep. She was knocked out. Hmm, Kiba would have to carry her again.


	8. No One Messes With Harima

Harima POV

I have a new favorite band. I mean the guys in the band were just so awesome. Kiba…was just so talented. Had he written a song yet? At one point, I fell asleep because there were no more CDs and no one else to bother me, so I put my feet on the table and a book over my eyes and took in the music. The last song spoke the most to me. It was funny.

I felt more than heard the people leave the underground club. The hot stuffiness was eroding away and I could breathe normally. Sweet freedom, I thought dryly. I heard the dollar bills rustle in Temari's hands as she counted the money.

I had more fun tonight than I'd ever had. I began to wonder if I was getting a share of this money. There was a freaking lot of it.

"I'm rich! Rich, I say!" Kiba yelled. He must have been talking about the money haul we made. I chuckled within myself. He was crazy.

"So what's the plan now?" I heard Temari ask. I was about to ask the same thing.

"The after party…" Neji said simply. "At my house…"

Naruto and Kiba snickered. "After party is an understatement." That could only mean one thing. The guys were planning an orgy. Good thing I had to go home tonight. Somehow, I'd rather be called a suicidal bitch than wind up pregnant.

I stretched and packed up to go home. Akamaru, who had been either hiding or guarding me under my chair, chased his tail, sat and looked up at me as if to say "You're leaving now?"

"Hey, Akamaru. I have to go home now." I shoved my stuff in my bag and tossed it over my shoulder. "But you be a good boy for Kiba-kun, okay?" I bent down to his level and he jumped me and licked my face. I loved him too.

I thought nobody noticed when I started up the stairs. That was the way I wanted it. They made me wear a skirt today and they were not going to do anymore damage to my soul. Ino would drag me to the Hyuuga house if she could get her hands on me quick enough.

The sky was totally dark when I looked outside. I'm glad my left hook was known as an illegal weapon. Of course, hailing a cab around here was going to be torture. I might as well have taken the express train.

I'd walked about three blocks away from the underground club and I was almost at the train station when I heard my name being yelled out. I was the only one out on the street this late at night so whoever was calling me must have meant me. That and I was certain that I was the only Harima in the world.

"Harima! Wait up!"

I turned around and saw Kiba running towards me. I slowed my pace to let him match my strides. He looked tired for once.

"Are…you…crazy?" He asked. I looked at up at him. Did he finally go crazy in club fumes? "You can't walk by yourself at night. You might get kidnapped?" He raged on and on.

"Kiba-kun…"

"I mean, I already don't like you going home where you know you're in danger…" he continued.

"Kiba-kun…"

"I mean, I hate that you do that to yourself!"

"Kiba! You can walk me home if you want to…" That sounded too demanding. No I've done it.

That shut him up real quick. He looked down at me and smiled. I smiled too. His smile faded a little bit and then returned. "Good choice, Harima."

I could have made it home by myself, but either way I was happy that he wanted to walk me home. I never understood the male urge to be the alpha male of anything. Especially Kiba. I made it to my apartment building.

"You live in an apartment?" Kiba asked. "I always thought you would live in a small house, but an apartment?" He was cute but I needed him to shut up.

We stepped up the metal stairs and the metal clangs made my teeth itch. There, outside my door, was Ryu leaning on the wall outside the door, smoking a cigarette. I stopped in midstep and started to turn around but he'd seen me.

"Harima…decided to come home I see…" he said slimily. "Welcome home." He smiled that smile he had when he first made a pass at me. I was scared all over again. Ryu's devilish grin melted away when he saw who was with me. You can feel the static between the two.

"What the hell do you want?" Ryu asked. "Why you still hanging around this slut?" Huh…slut was a new one.

"She's no slut! You no good son of a bitch!" Kiba swore. I turned around to look at him. He met my eye and shut up.

"She's a slut if she's still hanging around you." That tore it, I would kill him myself! As much as I would have loved to use my left hook on his nose, I couldn't do it.

"Harima…" Kiba said, turning my face to his. "Remember what I said. I'll always be around." I gritted my teeth and blushed. What I would've done jump his bones right then and there. I smiled at him and wished that I could kiss him, but I didn't. I pulled away from him and bolted into the house before Ryu could touch me.

I tried to imagine Kiba's expression when I left, but I couldn't see it. I peeked out of the window. He and Ryu were talking pretty heatedly. What could they be talking about? I went into the kitchen to get a snack. I was long overdue for my midnight snack. I found my container of SOUL CANDY I bought when I was ten, but never opened. What I wouldn't give to come out of myself.

They were out there for five more minutes before Ryu came in and slammed the door. "Harima..." He said in that singsong voice that sent a chill down my spine. I bolted for my room and reached for the door to close it, but there was nothing there. I started to panic. I looked around and there next to my room was the door to my room. I had to hide. There was nowhere to hide…he had me. He finally had me.

He leaned on the doorway. "I hope you didn't think that bringing that moronic douche was going to stop me." I was scared shitless. No, I was more than scared shitless. This was my horror movie moment. This is how I'm going to die. I couldn't cry or scream or anything. I lost all use of motor skills. I looked around for a way out, but there was only the window. The window only led to the fire escape and even then, I couldn't get too far.

"I need you to handle something, Harima…" he said stepping toward me. I backed away, but he caught me and "kissed" me again. He picked me up over his shoulder and got me on my bed. I struggled under him. "This might hurt you a little bit now but it would only be for now…"

Those words cut through me like a knife through butter. Concentrate on something else, Harima I said to myself. I heard something land on the fire escape but it was probably the kid that lives above us trying to make his action movie again.

I screamed bloody murder. I'm serious. When most people say that, they have no idea the power it holds. Bloody murder. Still, we were talking about the guy who thinks bloodshed of females is funny. What the hell had I done to deserve this?

Kiba POV

"You get lucky tonight, kid?" Ryu asked me like we were friends. "You kept her out pretty damn late."

"Don't talk about Harima that way," I snapped. No one could talk about Harima that way. "Why the hell are you doing this to her?"

Ryu chuckled. "She's a girl. Girls were put on this earth to make more men. To hell with this falling in love crap." He lit another cigarette as he glared at me.

"Harima…is not going to fight you. She's scared of you. You're taking advantage of that," I said. "I don't even know why she came back here."

Ryu smiled that smile that struck fear in Harima's eyes. "She knows she wants it. You know you got some nerve coming here after you sucker punched me."

"She doesn't want anything from you. If I could, I'd kick your ass right here and now." I said getting more and more angry.

"So you did get lucky!" he exclaimed. "Was she any good?

"No, Harima's not like that and neither am I."

"Fine then. Get the hell out of here. I got work to do!" he said opening the door and stalking into the house. He slammed the door after himself. I heard him say her name and I tried to get in but the door was locked shut.

"Damn!" I said. I had to find her window and save her. I ran to the end of the hallway and found her fire escape. I jumped up and climbed onto the iron-wrought fire escape. I saw to shadows behind the blinds of a window. This must be Harima's room.

"I need you to handle something, Harima…" one shadow picked the other oneup and threw it on the bed. It yelped. "This might you a little bit for now but it's only for now."

That night, I discovered something that made me angrier than I've ever been. It froze my heart and clouded my judgment. It was my red cape to a bull. It was the sound of Harima Riuzi's scream.

Out of rage I shouldered the window in and it fell at the foot of the bed so it didn't hit anyone, but Ryu didn't look very appealing with one hand up her shirt and the other reaching up her skirt. That skirt was giving her hell. It made me crazy.

Harima looked both relieved and embarrassed when she saw my face. Ryu stood up snaking his hands back to himself. Harima brought her knees to her chest in the corner of her bed. She looked like Akamaru did when we first got him and Hana tripped over him

"Damn kid, you're tearing up my place," he said lazily. I clipped him in his face and fell against her dresser. He got back up and I climbed through the window to commit murder to whatever my fist landed on. Hurting her was unforgivable and I would not let him get away with it.

I was blinded with fury, if that makes any sense. I wasn't thinking about anything except how he was screwing around with Harima. Then I kind of blacked out.

When I came back to myself, Ryu was on the floor and his face looked like I put it in a blender. There was a twinge of guilt but that was because Harima had watched the whole thing. This should have proved what I said to her.

She shifted her stare from me to Ryu. She didn't know what to think.

"You see what I mean, Harima?" I said harshly. She locked her daze on my eyes, hooking onto every word. I sat in front of her as she tried not to cry. "Do you see what you do to me?"

She whimpered. "Did he do anything?" I demanded, grabbing her shoulders. She looked down but didn't answer. "Harima!"

I didn't bother to wait for her answer so I went to her dresser and shoved random stuff into my backpack. I wasn't going to let her stay here with that sicko.

"Come on," I said. "You're not staying here."

Harima hesitated and looked at me. Then she started to move off of her bed and onto the floor. She tiptoed around Ryu quietly. When he stirred, she shrieked and fliched. I grabbed her arm and pulled her over to me. She never met my eye.

It was four in the morning and I'd just kicked a grown man's ass for a girl I was crazy about. At least I could never say my life was uneventful.

Harima never looked as tattered as she did then. She looked angry and embarrassed and didn't say a word. On the train to my house, she leaned on my shoulder and I thought she was asleep. I was still angry at Ryu for violating Harima and Harima for going back there when she knew that something like that was likely to happen.

Then she started talking.

Harima POV

He saved me. I thought it would just be a dream that would never happen, but Kiba saved me. I've never seen anyone kick someone's ass as badly as that. I guess I was kind of stupid for going back to Ryu when he wasn't exactly coming in my room to tuck me in at night.

Kiba led me to the train station, never letting go of my hand, which was clammy and cold in his hands. I was just trying to process the whole thing. On the train, he guarded me from anyone that was lecherous enough to look at me. Without meaning to, I leaned on his shoulder. I was really sleepy so I didn't bother to pick my head back up.

I decided to tell him everything.

"It wasn't the first time he's ever tried that…" I started. Kiba looked down at me, confused. So I continued. "That night he came to get me from the mall? That was the first time. The only reason he didn't do it that night is because I locked him out."

He didn't say anything and I took it as his way of saying it was my turn to speak.

"Tonight, he took the door off the hinge so I couldn't lock him out. So he got farther than he did the first time."

"How far did he get the first time? Why the hell did you let him do that to you?" Kiba demanded.

"Don't you think I know that, Kiba? I can't keep staying in someone else's house!" I snapped. "He's all I got!"

"Where the hell is your mom? All this talk about Ryu, you've never talked about her!" Kiba responded.

I recoiled. "Hell if I know!" Hot tears streamed down my face. "I haven't seen my mom since we moved here!"

His face softened. "Harima…"

I had to cry right then and there. I buried my face in his shirt sleeve and did not hold back. He moved himself so that I was no longer on his shoulder, but on his chest. He rested one hand on my head and the other on my back.

"Stop crying Harima," he sighed. "I hate it when you're upset."

"Why does it matter to you?" I asked. My voice was groggy and I sounded horrible. "Why did you come to save me anyway?" I pulled away to look up at Kiba and wipe my eyes.

"I kind of thought that was obvious enough, but I guess not," he said. He put a finger under my chin and smiled at me. My heart raced faster and faster the closer he got to my face.

As the space between my lips and his closed…

"You have reached downtown Konoha. All passengers must get off the train at this stop…"

Perfect. Kiba pulled away with a vein pulsing hard on his temple. "Come one Harima," he said grabbing my arm and his backpack. I got up and followed him. We got off the train and I noticed that we were the only ones there.

Kiba turned me around to face him. That wild smile of his dominated my judgment. "You don't think I forgot that easily did you?" He threw my arms over his shoulders and kissed me.

Oh my God, I thought. He kissed me. He's still kissing me. I guess there was nothing left for me to do since I couldn't pull away. He had hold of my arms. I guess all I could do was close my eyes let it happen.

Somehow I never thought I'd have my first real kiss in a train station at four in the morning and he saved my virginity.


	9. One of Those Weekends

Hinata POV

"I'm worried about her, Neji," I muttered under my breath. "She went back to that man's house!"

Everyone had gone home about an hour ago, leaving me and Neji to worry about the missing Konoha High student.

"I haven't seen Kiba since he followed her, either," Neji commented. "Maybe she's with him." A knowing smile crept over his otherwise cool face. I reached over the table and slapped him, backhanded.

"Shit, Hinata!" he cursed. "What happened to you being spineless?"

"I'm shy…not spineless. Don't talk about our friends that way!"

"Well, if they weren't…then wouldn't Kiba have brought her here by now?" Neji responded. I hated to admit it but he had a point. Then I doubted it. I doubted Harima and Kiba had even kissed yet and I know for a fact that she is nothing like Kin.

I got up from the kitchen table. We had to clean up. Our maid would be suspicious if she comes in the morning and sees this big mess. And Ume is a notorious snitch (it's words like that that make me the fourth in the class).

Neji began to help me move furniture back to its rightful place. "So, how'd it go with Naruto?" he asked.

I paused.

Things had gone great with Naruto-kun. If you want details, then use your imagination. All I can say was that I needed tonight like Neji has a superiority complex, but don't tell him I said that.

I turned the question back on Neji. "How'd it go with Tenten?"

Neji smirked and launched into the "Tenten is my destined one" spiel. When everything was in its place again, Neji's phone rang some god awful American song called "Whatever you Like" by T.I. it was like nails on a chalkboard.

"Hello….well _hello._" Neji started turning away from me as he spoke. "Where are you guys…did you two…are you gonna—"

Neji held the phone away from his ear just as a loud "NO" came through the receiver. Neji returned the phone to his ear.

"Keep her safe man…Explain that to Hinata next time you see her…Fine…later." He ended the call and looked at me, obviously amused by something.

"Okay so we were both right," he started. "She's with Kiba, but they aren't doing anything. That Ryu guy isn't safe to be around at night apparently."

I exhaled. So she was safe…well in a way she was safe. Now I can go back to my Naruto fantasies in peace. I smiled to myself and then I noticed something that would get Neji in trouble for sure if my dad ever saw it.

"NEJI!"

"What? I just told you Harima's sa…" his voice trailed off as soon as he saw what I was staring at. "I might want to hide that."

I scoffed as he picked up what shall not be mentioned by me in this fanfiction and went to go hide it in this room. What was the matter with him? He was usually so cool and suave, but that steam factory had him a little messed up in the brain. I shook my head and went to my own room to get into bed.

A room is like a personal sanctuary. It's a place of peace, serenity, and tranquility. I changed into my pajamas and crawled under my covers. The sun was beginning to rise so I closed the curtains. Before I closed my eyes for eight hours of Naruto-kun bliss, I dropped Harima and Kiba the same text.

**B safe…(shy) **

"Hinata!"

Lovely tone of voice to wake up on, I thought as I opened my eyes a slit. The sun was up in the sky letting a bright blue day shine through.

"Hinata, wake up!"

I bolted out of bed to the kitchen where Neji…Hanabi and my father…

"Um…ohayo d-dad," I said sheepishly. I looked to Neji for clarification. My dad wasn't supposed to be back for another month. What could have brought him home?

My father didn't smile and Hanabi had that "you two are in so much trouble" look on her face. Did he find out about last night? That's impossible.

"Good morning to you too, princess," he said coldly. You should have felt the cold front Neji and I got. "Perhaps you can clarify something for me? Since your cousin obviously cannot."

"Yeah…" Hanabi snickered. Neji glared at her and she retreated.

"C-clarify? What?" I said, avoiding fidgeting my fingers.

My father reached into the corner behind his seat and pulled out Harima's duffle bag. "This."

Neji exhaled. "Oh, you meant that, Uncle. That's our friend Harima's duffle bag. She's not here right now."

I could have passed out from relief. Hiashi would kill me if he knew about that after party last night. Kill me and mount Neji over the fireplace.

Hanabi looked down with disappointment. I internally snickered. Ha, not this time, you little…

"And who may Harima be?" my father asked crossing his arms. "I thought I said no overnight visitors, you two."

A smile spread across Hanabi's face. Her last chance for hope for the TV to herself for…ever.

"Harima Riuzi. She came in a little while after Hinata transferred to Konoha High. She…lets just say she's in a bad situation." Gee, Neji really knows how to talk smooth. I would have fainted by now.

"Harima Riuzi…" my father echoed, like he was trying on the name for size. "Means 'crystal' doesn't it? Where is this Harima Riuzi?"

"She's at the library. She's second in our class." Neji said quickly. I almost pouted. I wanted to take that one.

"And you two did not go with her?"

"She left before we woke up. Who knows how long she's been gone already," Neji said quickly. What a lie. What an excellent alibi. If Harima could be anywhere my father would never check, it would be the library.

"I suppose that could be the case," my father said as he stood up. "Now I am going to my office meet a new client. I'll be back in time to meet this Harima…Riuzi." He smiled at us, saying he couldn't wait to catch us in a lie. "Come along, Hanabi."

Hanabi scurried herself out of her chair and made a face at us behind dad's back. Neji and I leaned down and did the same. Yeah I know what you're thinking. Real mature, but Hanabi just drags it out of you.

Naruto POV

Hey, readers! Betcha haven't heard from me in a while, huh? Well blame the writer. She's so slow. FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED, ZARA!!

_…Don't start with me Uzumaki. I can easily end your part in this story._

…Yes, ma'am.

It was 3 o' clock in the afternoon when I finally woke up. The first thing on my mind was the same thing that was on my mind when I went to sleep. Hinata Hyuuga, the girl I'm in love with.

I mean don't get me wrong, the other five of the girls are totally hot or else we'd be hanging around the most popular girls in school (Karin, Kin, and Tayuya…ew), but Hinata's her own breed of beauty. Girls like her come around every seventeen billion years. Ain't I lucky that the girl I love, loves me back? I must have good-looking tea leaves.

I hopped out of bed and pulled on a shirt that may or may not have been clean and bolted outside into the clear Sunday afternoon. I had so much I wanted to do with this newfound energy.

Go visit Hinata (and Neji and Harima if she's there)

Go see Kiba (and find out where he and Harima snuck of to heh heh heh)

Go rub my good fortune in Sasuke's face

Go to work

Study with either Shikamaru or Harima for final exams.

I picked item number to first for the simple reason that he lives in the next block from me. He's the closest and I had to know what happened before Ino does and spoils it for the rest of us.

I pounded on the door and was rewarded with the sound of voices.

"What…are you doing?"

"You mean you don't know?

"No…"

"Well, it might be easier to show you than to explain it to you. C'mere."

Sounds like Harima never went home last night. I wouldn't think that of Harima-san, but due to Kiba's past with Kin, I would totally delete the possibility.

"Oh…my…God! It's huge!"

Wait…what? This early in the…afternoon? Hadn't they had enough already?

"You're suppose to jump on it!"

"Oh…" Harima laughs. And I feel a nosebleed coming on.

"This is awesome!"

I pound on the door as hard as I can. I can't let this go on any longer! The Aburame's next door are going to get suspicious.

Kiba opens the door and doesn't look surprised to see me. Then again no one really is for some reason.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what?'?" I gasp out. "You guys can't do that in the broad daylight! People will hear you?"

Kiba brought his eyebrows together in confusion. "Was there marijuana in your ramen last night?

I pushed past Kiba, expecting to see something I'd have a nosebleed for days for. Instead, I saw Harima sitting on the couch with a Playstation 4 joystick in her hands, engrossed in a video game.

"Sure, Naruto." Kiba sighed as he walked past me and sat on the couch next to Harima. "Come right in. I don't mind. What were you blabbering about at the door, anyway?"

I told him what I had heard.

The following sequence is what happened after a longish awkward pause:

Harima pauses the game and turns this interesting pink-blue color

Kiba's eyes widen and he chuckles.

Harima smiles to herself and shakes her head.

Kiba explains that Harima asked what game he was playing ("What…are you doing?"). Kiba didn't think anyone had not heard of the video game he was playing ("You mean you don't know?") She says she hasn't ("No") Kiba shows her how to play the game because he doesn't know how to explain it ("Well, it might be easier for me to show than to explain it"). The mutant monster on the game is like Colossus ("Oh…my…God! It's huge"). To defeat it, the avatar thing has to stomp or jump on it a few times to flatten it ("You're supposed to jump on it.") And the rest explains itself…

"Perv," Kiba mutters. But did it happen last night is the question. "Now get out. I should have taken Harima home hours ago." Harima turns off the game and prepares to go home.

"So why is she here to begin with?" I asked, confused.

"She got here early to help Hana clean my room," he explained. Harima rolled her eyes, but I thought that was because I thought ill of her…virtue or whatever girls like her call it.

Now…onto Hinata's house!

Harima POV

I'd rather not talk about the rest of my Sunday, but I will give you some kind of outline of my Sunday

Early morning

Almost raped by my sociopath stepfather

Rescued by Kiba (cliché I know)

Got my first real kiss at the express train station

Morning

Crashed in Kiba's guestroom

Woke up at like 11 to see him sleeping in the easy chair he pulled up next to the bed

Felt really awkward

Noon-Afternoon

Kiba wakes up and I cook for him

He eats like a boy…times 10

Says I'm not a bad cook

I wander around the house like a lost puppy

Play with Akamaru (Kiba too)

Late Afternoon

Kiba teaches me how to play a video game

Naruto eavesdrops at the door

Naruto is a pervert.

I go home (Hyuuga home)

Evening

Hiashi sama is waiting for me when I open the door

I nearly pass out

I meet Hanabi (little brat)

Hiashi welcomes me into his home after he hears my situation

Hiashi may or may not be planning to adopt me.

Sound eventful enough? I've had my fill of excitement for a long long time. A boring school like Konoha High is just what I need after this weekend.

"What a weekend," Sakura says as she takes her seat in the desk in front of me. Hinata and I nod in agreement. Ino gabs on about her Sunday with Sai. Temari complains about her brothers (evidently one is homicidal and the other one is really simple). Tenten drags on about how hard she hit the books for the final this week.

THIS WEEK!?!?!

Okay…

As if my life wasn't eventful enough, guess who decided to drop by my humble little desk?

Kin.

"I decided that I don't like you…at all," she said to me as if I wanted her to like me. I said nothing so she continued.

"I have noticed that you have your ugly black fingernails under my Kiba's skin…"

_Her_ Kiba? Oh, that must be the past that Kiba told me about…

"_Her_ Kiba? Tcha, that's a new one…" Temari muttered to Ino, who snickered. Kin glared at Temari, who glared back. Then she turned back to me.

"Quit it."

"And what if she likes Kiba?" Sakura cut in. Who need to talk, when you have friends like mine?

"So?" Kin countered. Really? Was it that hard to believe that Kiba likes me? He did kiss me at four in the morning after saving my ass.

"It just so happens that Kiba is really into her," Tenten said as a matter-of-factly.

"Just wait until he asks her out officially," Ino put in.

Kin pretended not to hear them. She leaned in close to my face so that our foreheads were touching, enraging me. "If you think you love Kiba more than me…prove it. You. Me. After school today. Winner takes all. Loser…and by loser I mean you…gives him up completely."

So many things enflamed me about Kin.

She's one of Karin's crones.

It was her idea to smear my face in red lipstick

She practically raped Kiba.

She disrespected my friends.

She touched me

That is why I agreed to fight her after school. Not for Kiba and my friends alone, but because I've been near silent for much too long. It's time for Harima to defend someone. Even a girl like me can only take so much. Kin is my enemy and enemies must be brought down. That is my Konoha High School Student way.


	10. Fight For You Final

Kiba POV

Ah, what a wonderful day. I haven't quite asked Harima out yet, but I think she gets the message that I'm absolutely crazy about her. I sat at my desk think about how great life can be. Normally I'd be suspicious that I hadn't heard from that jackass Ryu yet, but how can I? That hot mama is safe in this room in my line of sight.

All is right with the world.

"Yo Kiba, check it out," Sasuke said gesturing towards two really black auras going at it. Epic…it was Kin and Harima. Kin was talking at Harima and I guess the other girls were talking her up. I wished I could hear better.

I finally did hear something.

"If you think you love Kiba more than me…prove it. You. Me. After school today. Winner takes all. Loser…and by loser I mean you…gives him up completely," Kin said. That sounded like a challenge.

Please say no.

Please say no.

"Fine. Have it your way," she said coolly. "Just get out of my face."

And with that Kin bounced away, but not before winking at me. I shuddered.

"Damn. Kin's an excellent fighter, dude. Harima just might get her ass kicked," Naruto commented. Sasuke slapped the back of his head.

"You obviously have never made her mad…" he said darkly.

Honestly, I'd never seen Harima totally mad. Sasuke made it sound it was like Armageddon. It made wonder.

After Kin left, Harima exhaled and shook her head. Then she banged it on the desk a few times and after the 4th time she stayed down. Hinata, Temari, and Sakura rubbed her back. I guess the drama never ends, but I guess once Kin is brought down, Harima and I can move on and she can have my children when we graduate (well a guy can dream).

"My money's on Harima. Someone with a life like hers has to know a thing or two about street fighting," Neji said.

"You want to know something about your little muse?" Sai said elbowing my arm. I brushed him away.

"What?"

He sat back down in the seat behind me. "I'll let you see for yourself afterschool."

I hate Sai and his damn cliff hangers. I'd kill him if we weren't friends.

The recess bell rang and everyone filed out of the classroom. I caught up with Harima and held her hand before Kin could catch up with me.

"Hello, pretty girl," I said, pretended like I didn't know anything. "What's up your crazy girl world?"

She looked up at me. That look suggested she knew that I knew about after school. Well word travels fast around Konoha High. It's a freakin' HIGH school.

"So what are you going to do about it?" I asked. "Can you fight?"

She shrugged and muttered, "Eh."

"Show me what you got…" Naruto passed us with Hinata. "Naruto said he thinks you're gonna get your ass kicked. Show him what you think."

Harima grabbed hold of Naruto's shirt and slammed him into a locker. She never changed her expression. She's pretty damn strong if she can slam Naruto that hard.

"Wicked," I said taking her hand again. I kissed it. She smiled.

"What I do?" Naruto muttered.

By the end of the day, everyone not only knew about the big fight, but everyone was placing bets. No one but the twelve of us bet on Harima. I was beginning to feel worried about her I mean what if she didn't win? How many of her teeth would we have to pick up?

No Kiba. Don't doubt the underdog. You of all people should know that.

"Kiba-kun!" said the wrong person. Kin

"It's Kiba-san to you, Kin. What do you want?" I shoved all of my books into my bag that still had some of Harima's stuff in it; a Kuromi alarm clock, an empty lip gloss container, and Kiss wristband.

"I want you to call me Kin-chan like you used to," she said in that sweet voice that drove me crazy once upon a time, but now made me uncomfortable. "Are you gonna cheer for me after school?"

"No?"

Her flirty smile faltered. "Kiba…you know that I'm going to win. We'll be together again. Don't you want that?"

"No?"

"That's too bad because after I kick Riuzi's ass into the dust, you belong to me again." With that she walked away. Please, Harima, I prayed internally. Please…KICK HER ASS!

Harima POV

I don't think I've seen both my eyes since I was twelve. Ino was pulling my hair back into a ponytail so Kin couldn't pull it out in the bathroom. It's the same as I've left it.

"Okay so you know we've got your back, right, girl?" Tenten suggested, sitting on the sink and swinging her legs nervously.

"I could fight her. I need to teach that hooker a thing or two about messing around with one of us," Temari stated, cracking her knuckles.

"Sh-she has t-to do this on her own. I-if she doesn't, K-kin will never leave her and Kiba-kun alone," Hinata explained. Temari shrugged.

"Okay, woman show me what you got," Temari said. It's been a while since Ive fought. Nara had taught me well. Ino moved out of my way briefly so I could roundhouse kick the mirror. It shattered into a million pieces.

Sakura nodded in approval. "She's ready. We might need her to kick asses for us sometime."

The way Konoha High is set up, there are 5 stories. In the center of the school is an atrium/courtyard. So students from all over can watch from all the balconies. I felt like I was fighting on national TV. The messes I get myself in…

"Well you're not spineless, I'll give you that," Kin said when she saw me. We stood 3 feet apart from each other. "But either way, you're almost nothing but Kiba's silver medal."

Hmm, if I were a shallow bitch like her that would have hurt. I rooted my feet to the ground, not backing down no matter what.

"So what do you have to say? Do you want to tell my Kiba that you love him like a pathetic loser?" she taunted.

"You mean like you were doing earlier?" I said without meaning to, but I didn't show it. "He knows how I feel about him."

"Cocky for someone's who's about to be publicly humiliated," Kin said getting into a fighting stance. What was this a Jett Li movie? Get real…

"Hmm," I said crossing my arms. The air was thick with anticipation. She was no different from my seventeen fights in Nara. Same thing applies.

Kin lunged at me ready to bring her fist down, but that's the traditional first move so I dodged without difficulty. I maneuvered myself behind her and kicked her in the back. She stumbled forward but countered with punch in my stomach. It knocked a lot of air out of me but air's not something I cannot get back.

She pulled back for another one but she was aiming down, making it easy for me to drop kick her, so I did. She growled and slapped me across the face. I grabbed her by the shirt collar and threw her onto the ground headfirst. Somehow she kicked me in the face and my mouth bled, but I didn't open my mouth. I kept my mouth pursed. She got back up and tripped me (a juvenile and cowardly move in my book, but look who I was dealing with.) She pinned me down with her knees knelt over me like she'd won.

Or so she thought…

"Okay, Riuzi, it look like one more hit and you're out like a light. Any last words?" she hissed nastily. I smiled sweetly and nodded.

I spit blood right into her smug little face. She screamed and got back up in freak out. I'd pissed her off big time.

"You sick psychotic bitch!" she shrieked and you could hear the responses fro the audience. This time she came back at me harder than before, but I was prepared for it.

This is for disrespecting my friends

This is for touching me

This is for claiming what isn't yours

This is for the red lipstick I will always feel on my face.

I dodged all of her attacks with attacks of my own; roundhouse and drop kicks, hits to major pressure points, even an occasional backhand.

Then she had me again. Something she said had me off guard. "You know, since you look like you're giving your all, I'll give you a little secret; me and Kiba-kun had a wager to see how far he'd have to go to get your panties. It must not have taken much because now both of us are reaching our limit…"

I paused in doubt and that was all she needed she dropped kicked me and the whole thing went in slow motion. I heard everything. The cheers for Kin's victory, Kiba and Hinata calling my name, no not calling more like screaming, the footsteps of Kin coming to finish me off.

Let her think that…

She stood over me and she looked every part of the victor in this battle. "You see, tramp. You cannot win against someone like me. Not in a fight, not someone like Kiba, and certainly not any friends like the tramps you hang out with. You're a loser!"

That tore it for me. I gathered myself up with the quickness and looked up at Kin. She scoffed and chuckled. "The bitch just won't stay down." Her supporters laughed at me. My eleven friends watched intently as I rolled my eyes and glared. I'd had just about enough of her mouth.

Kiba POV

She was truly fighting with the power of a racehorse and the grace of a swan. Every attack was like a ballet of mass destruction. My favorite part was when Harima spit her own blood out at Kin…in the face.

Now was the final move and both girls were shaking with anger and heavy breathing. Harima's hair had fallen out of its high ponytail and I could barely see the eye I usually saw. Kin tormented her and now she was seething as Kin spoke.

Kin didn't realize what a bitch really is. A bitch is a female dog. The Inuzuka clan is closely affiliated with dogs. So calling her a bitch is really making her even more perfect for me.

"Aw their both tired, but Kin's got the upper hand because she's stronger. Harima's done for," Naruto said disappointedly. Hinata exhaled in dismay.

"Wrong…"

We all looked at Shikamaru for an explanation and he didn't fail to give us one.

"Did you guys know that I am not the first in class anymore?"

Don't get me wrong, all of our jaws totally dropped, but weren't seeing what that had to do with Harima.

"I have an 89 in Information Withholding class, and that brought my final average this year. Harima-girl down there has a 94 in the class. She's really not tired at all. Just bating Kin. If we were ninjas, she would be using Genjitsu."

We all looked down at the battlefield just in time to see Harima drop to her knees. I thought she was tired after all, but then she arched her back so far her hands hit the ground. Kin looked down at her in confusion as did the rest of us.

"What the?" Neji started.

"Kiba, this is what I am referring to…" Sai reminded me. Oh yeah he had said something about that earlier hadn't he? I'm sorry I was just mystified by how flexible she was. She kind of eased in her movements which made me feel a little hot around the collar. Then suddenly with the quickness I'd only seen in Rock Lee, she brought her legs up and kicked Kin straight in the face! Kin was on the ground for 10 seconds flat making Harima (as if you didn't anticipate it) the victor in the fight. She was back on her feet and shoved her hand in her pockets, like it was no big deal.

Suddenly the courtyard was uproar of chaos; some people were upset with lost bets, others were sighing with relief that they didn't bet any real money. The eleven of us cheered the loudest. Tayuya and Karin pathetically went to go see if Kin was alright, but begrudgingly waved them away.

I was the first on out on the courtyard with Harima and she looked up at me with those sexy eyes she's got. Of course she owns me now so to speak. I didn't expect her to say anything first so as usual, I spoke first.

"Well I hope you enjoyed wailing on a girl for me," I commented, putting my own hands in my pocket. "Because you'd have to kill me before that happens again."

She smirked. I understood I was being full of myself, but would I be Kiba Inuzuka if I wasn't? "Okay, okay. That was douche-ish of me," I admitted starting to close up the space between us. She started to move toward me too and I thought she was going to let me kiss her but I couldn't. She poked my forehead which had completely healed. She winked at me and went to join her friends so they could tend to her wounds.

I looked after her and shook my head. She was weird; that dark redhead was but she was the most beautiful, talented, and smartest girls I have ever known and my heart was then and even now I was I post this hers. And that's the way I want it to stay…forever.


End file.
